Current vaccines less effective against Beta variant of Covid-19: Study

The study of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 has suggested that all the existing vaccines would be less effective against the Beta variant, which was first found in South Africa.

A study of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, has suggested that the current batch of vaccines might be less effective against the Beta variant. The study by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital in the US, which was published in the 'Science' journal on June 24, used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to analyse the spike proteins, present on the surface of SARS-CoV-2.