"Pfizer's corona vaccine is also effective against mutant viruses"

<Anchor> With the

spread of the mutant virus around the world, there are concerns about whether the currently available vaccine will be effective against the mutant virus.

This is Han Se-hyun.

<Reporter>

Yesterday (20th), 1,820 people died in the UK in one day.

It is the highest in history, up by 200 people from 1,610 people yesterday.

After the third blockade, the number of new confirmed cases is decreasing, but the number of deaths continues to increase rapidly.

Amid the rapid spread of the UK mutant virus to more than 60 countries around the world, the Bioentech research team found that antibodies in the blood of 16 Pfizer vaccine recipients neutralized the mutant virus.

Pfizer previously said earlier this month that its vaccine is effective against mutant viruses found in the UK and South Africa.

[Dr. Phillip/Pfizer Senior Researcher: What we found was one important mutation, and the vaccine worked, whether or not the mutation occurred.

That is a very reassuring discovery.]

AstraZeneca's vaccine, which Korea is promoting, is expected to be approved by WHO as early as this month.

Reuters predicted that the AstraZeneca vaccine produced by India's Serum Institute will receive WHO approval as early as this month, and the vaccine consigned by SK Bioscience in Korea at the end of next month.

Along with this, it is expected that Moderna will be able to get approval in February, Johnson & Johnson in May or June, and Chinese pharmaceutical companies Sinoparm and Sinobac's vaccines will be approved in March.