Why South Africa Is Putting The AstraZeneca Vaccine On Hold
A study raised concerns about its effectiveness against the coronavirus variant sweeping through the country — although the data is too preliminary for definitive conclusions.
South Africa has temporarily suspended its rollout of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University coronavirus vaccine after a small clinical trial revealed the shot provided only minimal protection from mild and moderate illness caused by the virus variant that is widely circulating in the country.
The variant, called B.1.351, appears to be better at evading the body's immune system and has helped fuel a massive second wave of COVID-19 cases there.
The findings are not definitive,
