South African COVID-19 Variant Can ‘Escape’ Previous Strain Antibodies

[jmyrlefuller]

https://www.kabc.com/news/south-african-covid-19-variant-can-escape-previous-strain-antibodies/

Researchers in South Africa have discovered that a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus discovered in that country can stave off or “escape” COVID-19 antibodies from already existing strains, making re-infection with the new strain possible.

The scientists from the National Health Laboratory Service in Johannesburg said the SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 “exhibits complete escape from three classes of therapeutically relevant monoclonal antibodies.”

“The data do raise the possibility that the protection gained from past infection with COVID-19 may be lower for re-infection with the South African variant,” Liam Smeeth of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told Reuters. “The data also suggest that the existing vaccines could be less effective against the South African variant.”

[jmyrlefuller]

Congratulations, folks. We are officially back to square one.