Hervé Fleury, virologist at France Info
We must develop a vaccine against the Brazilian variant although neither Pfizer’s nor Moderna’s are fully effective, believes Prof. Hervé Fleury.
The quarantine imposed on travellers from several Latin American countries "is a relevant measure, but you cannot block a virus 100%, whatever the measures," Hervé Fleury, virologist, professor emeritus at the CNRS and the University of Bordeaux, told franceinfo on Sunday, April 18. We may have to "take measures vis-à-vis all areas that can contaminate us with the Brazilian variant", in particular the island of Réunion. According to him, it is also necessary to "strengthen strain surveillance in France" and "screen much more and sequence in the process".
Q: Can about forty days for travelers from Latin America guarantee that the Brazilian variant is not imported?
For sure, no. This is a relevant measure, but you cannot block a virus 100%, whatever the measures. Moreover, he is already in France in a very small percentage. But it must be done, there are no other immediate measures to take. Quarantine, isolation and surveillance are required. You have to maneuver Asian-style, if I may say so, that is to say like the Koreans, like the Chinese.
"It is essential to verify that isolation is maintained for these patients who are infected or who are infectable by Brazilian variant. We must be rigorous."
Q: The suspension of flights from Brazil until next Saturday will be enough or should you be extended, in your opinion?
I think it will need to be extended, and there are other countries that are concerned. There are other French areas, for example Reunion Island, where I saw that there was Brazilian variant. We may need to take action against all areas that can contaminate us with the Brazilian virus.
Q: The Brazilian variant is present in France, at what level?
There are very low percentages, below 4%, some even say it is 0.5 or 1%. But we must watch for the increase of this variant behind the British because it is much more dangerous. It is vaccine resistant, even if it is not completely resistant. Knowledge has evolved recently with a publication that shows that even the Pfizer and Moderna, which are the best today, neutralize the Brazilian variant less well. Therefore, this variant poses a problem for us by its mutations, in particular the one called the 484 which allows it to resist neutralization by vaccine constructions. Therefore, we must be extremely careful with this variant, that it does not take a significant percentage in France and that our Pfizer and Moderna vaccination campaigns are not handicapped by the emergence of the Brazilian variant.
Q: If this variant ever spreads, it means that we will have to change our vaccination strategy, perhaps by injecting more than two doses of Pfizer or Moderna?
It's not just that. I think the two companies in question are already preparing a vaccine that will frame the Brazilian virus. By being active on the Brazilian variant, which is biologically and immunologically dominant, it should also be able to neutralize the other variants.
"In fact, by having a vaccine against the Brazilian variant, we should be able to have a vaccine always effective against others, there is a question of strain dominance."
As for AstraZeneca, for reasons of side effects I think it is off to a bad start for its distribution in Europe, to say the least. In addition, it is known that it does not provide excellent protection against the South African variant and the Brazilian variant. So I think it may not be the right vaccination option in Europe and at home, especially in the face of the variants that are coming.
Q: We are now told about an Indian variant. Does part of the solution involve screening test results and sequencing to identify new variants?
Strain surveillance must be strengthened in France. I think we must actually sift through much more and sequence in the process. Screening is now under development, sequencing must be carried out behind to see other mutations if necessary. But it is true that molecular techniques for studying strains must be developed. This is being done.
Article from France Info on April 18, 2021 translated by Ventum Biotech. Original article here
