One company says its vaccine protects against COVID-19 variants, including Delta

Kendall Tietz, DCNF

A study found that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine protects against different virus strains, including the delta variant, the company said in a Tuesday press release.

The study utilized blood samples of eight individuals one week after receiving their second dose of the vaccine and found that it was effective in protecting against newly identified variants, according to Moderna’s statement.

“We remain committed to studying emerging variants, generating data and sharing it as it becomes available,” said Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel. “These new data are encouraging and reinforce our belief that the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine should remain protective against newly detected variants.”

The company said that the vaccine successfully protected against the Delta variant with a moderate dip in effectiveness. The Delta variant first emerged in India and has since spread around the world.

The newly discovered Delta variant is “of concern” because it is more transmissible and can lead to a more severe illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) urged individuals to continue wearing masks, even if they are vaccinated, CNBC reported Friday.

“Vaccine alone won’t stop community transmission,” Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO’s assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products, said during a briefing in Geneva, according to CNBC. “People need to continue to use masks consistently, be in ventilated spaces, hand hygiene … the physical distance, avoid crowding. This still continues to be extremely important, even if you’re vaccinated when you have a community transmission ongoing.”