The pharmaceutical companies, "Pfizer" and "Biontech", announced that they are collecting information about the "Omicron" mutant to discuss the possibility of modifying their vaccines against the emerging coronavirus(known also as COVID-19).
Biontech said in a statement that it was awaiting more data on the worrying new mutation of the Coronavirus, which was detected in South Africa, to help determine whether the vaccine produced with its partner, Pfizer, should be modified.
"We understand the experts' concerns and have immediately launched investigations into the B.11.529 mutant known as Omicron," Biontech added.
And the British scientist Andrew Pollard, who led research on the “AstraZeneca” vaccine against the Coronavirus, said that a new vaccine could be developed “very quickly” against the Omicron variant.
The Omicron strain was first detected in South Africa, followed by monitoring in a number of countries, including Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong, and Britain.
It may take several weeks for scientists to fully learn about the strain's mutations and whether available vaccines and treatments are effective against it.
While the health authorities in South Africa revealed the registration of 50 new infections with the new mutant of the Coronavirus, “Omicron”, during the past 24 hours, according to “Russia Today”.
And the South African government said that we are being punished because of our discovery of the new Corona mutant, “Omicron”, and the Minister of Health in the State of South Africa, confirmed that there is no scientific evidence of the seriousness of the new mutant from the Coronavirus, referring to European reactions to the emergence of the new mutant from Corona as unjustified.
And the South African Minister of Health added: There is no scientific evidence that the new mutant from Corona is rapidly spreading or dangerous, according to urgent news for the Al-Arabiya channel.
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