A New Covid Vaccine For Omicron Variant? Here Is What Vaccine Makers Are Saying

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> Days after the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern', several Covid-19 vaccine makers like Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Russia's Gamaleya Institute have started working on adapting their shots to counter the new coronavirus variant.</p> <p>As per initial studies, scientists have said the Omicron variant might be more transmissible than the highly infectious Delta variant, and current vaccines might be less effective against it.</p> <p>The Omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa, is a cause of concern because of its high number of mutations. Cases have been detected in more than 12 countries, prompting governments to shut their borders and impose travel restrictions again.</p> <p>"The new Omicron variant has reportedly got over 30 mutations in the spike protein region. This gives it the potential to develop an immune-escape mechanism. Thus the efficacy of vaccines against it needs to be evaluated critically," PTI quoted AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guelria as saying.</p> <p><strong>Here Is What Vaccine Makers Are Saying On Omicron Variant</strong></p> <p><strong>Russia's Gamaleya Institute:</strong> The Gamaleya Institute in a statement said its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine should be effective against the new Omicron variant. However, Gamaleya said it had already begun developing a new version of the Sputnik vaccine adapted to Omicron.</p> <p>"The Gamaleya Institute believes Sputnik V and Sputnik Light will neutralise Omicron, as they have the highest efficacy against other mutations," RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement. "If a modification is necessary, a new version of Sputnik V could be ready for mass production in 45 days," it said.</p> <p><strong>Moderna:</strong> US firm Moderna said it would take months to develop and ship an Omicron variant-specific Covid-19 vaccine. In an interview to BBC, Paul Burton, Moderna's chief medical officer, said such a vaccine could only be available in early 2022.</p> <p>"We should know about the ability of the current vaccine to provide protection in the next couple of weeks. If we have to make a brand new vaccine, I think that&rsquo;s going to be early 2022 before that's really going to be available in large quantities," Burton told BBC.</p> <p><strong>Pfizer-BioNTech:</strong> Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the US firm had already started working on a version of its Covid-19 vaccine specifically targeting the Omicron variant, AFP reported. Pfizer is also testing its current vaccine against the Omicron variant.<br />"I don't think the result will be the vaccines don't protect. But, the testing could show that existing shots protect less which means that we need to create a new vaccine," AFP quoted Bourla as saying.</p>