The 501.V2 variant is widespread in South Africa and is troubling due to its potential for vaccine evasion [1]: > On 6 February 2021, The Financial Times repor

The 501.V2 variant is widespread in South Africa and is troubling due to its potential for vaccine evasion [1]: > On 6 February 2021, The Financial Times reported that provisional trial data from a study undertaken by South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand in conjunction with Oxford University demonstrated reduced efficacy of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine against the 501.V2 variant. [68] The study found that in a sample size of 2,000 the AZD1222 vaccine afforded only "minimal protection" in all but the most severe cases of COVID-19. [69] On 7 February 2021, the Minister for Health for South Africa suspended the planned deployment of around 1 million doses of the vaccine whilst they examine the data and await advice on how to proceed. [70] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501.V2_variant#Vaccine_evasion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501.V2_variant#Vaccine_evasion [68] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-varian/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-shot-less-effective-against-south-african-variant-study-idUSKBN2A60SH https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astraz... [69] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55975052 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55975052 [70] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/astrazeneca-oxford-vaccine-south-african-variant/2021/02/07/e82127f8-6948-11eb-a66e-e27046e9e898_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/astrazeneca-oxfo...