Efforts to update COVID vaccines can't seem to keep up with changes in the virus itself, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports. State of play: Emerging variants appear to be even more immune-resistant than the original Omicron strain, raising the question of whether even retooled vaccines will be outdated once they come to market this fall. Driving the news: Preliminary data suggests the most recent Omicron subvariants to emerge are significantly different than the original version that began spreading late last year. Between the lines: Although drugmakers have said they can quickly adapt to produce new vaccine versions, collecting data on those vaccines' effectiveness through real-world clinical trials ultimately takes time. - "It takes six months for the omicron BA.1 vaccines to be properly tested and then longer to produce them. That's inevitable," said Cornell virologist John Moore.
What they're saying: "It's unclear what the mix will be in the vaccine that's used in the fall, but there's a very good chance that it'll be against the original Omicron," said Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and Kaiser Health News editor-at-large. - "It's pretty challenging. We're very much behind the virus given the speed at which it's moving," Gounder added.
Yes, but: The jury is still out as to whether an Omicron-specific vaccine has significant benefits compared to the original version. The bottom line: Keeping up with a virus that is evolving this quickly is inherently in tension with collecting the data traditionally required to make big regulatory decisions. - In this case, the implications are likely relatively minor. But if a more dangerous variant that requires new vaccines emerges, some very tough choices will have to be made.
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