Vaccines Effective Against COVID-19 Variants – CMO

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, says the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines have proven to be effective against variants of the virus and is appealing for persons to take the jab to protect themselves, their loved ones, and others.

She told JIS News that while it is possible for vaccinated persons to contract the virus, the vaccine is “very effective against preventing severe illness and hospitalisations”.

“You can get COVID if you have been vaccinated, but it is a mild illness that you will get, and you can still transmit with that mild illness. So, it is important, especially when we still have a low number of persons vaccinated, that the persons that are vaccinated continue to use precautions – wear their mask, hand sanitise, continue with physical distancing and to stay home,” she said.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie noted also that there is an increased number of cases among children.

“We are also seeing that we are having more children getting severe illnesses … this is a serious time and persons have to recognise that personal responsibility for themselves, for their families to prevent exposure, is important,” she stressed.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie noted that variants are classified according to variants of interest (VOI) and variants of concern (VOC).

“Variants of interest mean there is a change in the genetic sequencing of the virus; that it has the potential to behave differently – to cause increased transmission or increased severe type of illness.

“When they demonstrate that they are in fact causing an increase in transmission or an increase in the severity of illness, they are now a variant of concern,” she explained.

Current COVID-19 variants of concern are the Delta (B.1.617.2), first detected in India; Alpha (B.1.1.7), first identified in the United Kingdom; the Beta (B.1.351), first identified in South Africa and the Gamma (P.1), first identified in Brazil.