Vaccine experts: Shouldn't a third vaccine be adjusted to protect against newer variants?

[TeslaNova]

It seems a little odd to me that they are going to use the original vaccine when there are newer variants of the virus out there. Does this have something to do with the fact that these are mRNA type of vaccines? Anyone have any insight to this?

[BannonsLiver]

1. Which experts?

[roamer65]

2. With a higher concentration of antibodies from an original dose booster...

one can fight off Delta very well.

A reformulation requires clinical trials, etc, etc.

[lapucelle]

3. Effectiveness research is ongoing.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/effectiveness-research/protocols.html

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How to redesign COVID vaccines so they protect against variants
Lineages that can evade immunity are spurring vaccine makers to explore ways to redesign their shots.
29 January 2021

Moderna has started work on updating its mRNA vaccine to match spike mutations in 501Y.V2. The biotech company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says it also intends to test the effectiveness of a third dose of its original coronavirus vaccine, and is looking into the possibility of a multivalent vaccine, said Tal Zaks, Moderna’s chief scientific officer, in a 25 January call with investors. But before deciding on any path, researchers will need to study how animals, and probably humans, respond to any potential vaccine update, says Subbarao.“It’s not going to be as simple as [altering] an amino acid site and saying ‘okay we got it’.”