Sarah Gilbert was named Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her role in vaccine development (FILE)
London:
The scientist behind the creation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, administered in India as Covishield to protect against COVID-19, warned on Monday that the next virus to hit humanity could be more lethal and contagious.
Professor Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccines at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, who was crowned Queen Elizabeth II by Queen Elizabeth II for her pivotal role in vaccine development, said more funding was needed. to prepare for the pandemic in order to prevent progress made in the field from being lost.
She also warned the vaccine could be less effective against the new variant of Omicron, but noted that reduced protection against infections and mild illness does not necessarily mean reduced protection against serious illness and death.
“This won’t be the last time a virus threatens our lives and livelihoods. The truth is the next time could be worse. It could be more contagious, or more deadly, or both,” said Professor Gilbert.
“We cannot allow a situation where we’ve been through all that we’ve been through, and then find that the enormous economic damage we’ve suffered means still there is no funding to prepare for the pandemic. The progress we have made and the knowledge we have gained, must not be lost,” she said.
Talking about the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus, she said its mutant protein contains mutations known to increase the transmissibility of the virus.
“But there are additional changes that could mean that antibodies caused by the vaccine, or by infection with other variants, may be less effective at preventing Omicron infections. Until we know that. more, we should be cautious and take steps to slow the spread of this new variant,” she said.
“But as we’ve seen before, reduced protection against infection and mild illness doesn’t necessarily mean reduced protection against severe illness and death,” she added.
Before COVID-19, Gilbert had been working on vaccines for more than 10 years, using antigens from malaria and influenza. The 59-year-old expert is giving the BBC’s 44th Richard Dimbleby Lecture, named in honor of a veteran British broadcaster and journalist and presented annually by renowned speakers.
On Sunday, the UK reported another 86 cases of the new Omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa, bringing its total Omicron count to 246. Meanwhile, a total of 43,992 COVID-19 cases and 54 deaths have been recorded as part of the UK government’s daily coronavirus check. .
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