Viruses, variants and vaccines

D A Cowan; S G Burton; E P Rybicki; A-L Wiliamson; R A Dorrington; M S Pepper

doi:10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i5.15578

In Practice

Viruses, variants and vaccines

D A Cowan, S G Burton, E P Rybicki, A-L Wiliamson, R A Dorrington, M S Pepper

Abstract

The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought a number of major global clinical, sociological and economic issues into sharp focus. We address some of these issues, focusing on short-term factors such as virus mutations and vaccine efficacy, and also considering the longer-term implications of the current pandemic. We discuss societal responses to the presence of a pathogen that will probably remain in circulation for decades or longer, and to future new emergent viruses.

Authors' affiliations

D A Cowan, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

S G Burton, Future Africa and Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

E P Rybicki, Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

A-L Wiliamson, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

R A Dorrington, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa

M S Pepper, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Immunology, and South African Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Stem Cell Research and Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa