The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is highly effective against SARS-CoV-2. However, apprehension exists that variants of concern (VOCs) may evade vaccine protection, due to evidence of reduced neutralization of the VOCs B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 by vaccine sera in laboratory assays. We performed a matched cohort study to examine the distribution of VOCs in infections of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccinees from Clalit Health Services (Israel) using viral genomic sequencing, and hypothesized that if vaccine effectiveness against a VOC is reduced, its proportion among breakthrough cases would be higher than in unvaccinated controls. Analyzing 813 viral genome sequences from nasopharyngeal swabs, we showed that vaccinees who tested positive at least 7 days after the second dose were disproportionally infected with B.1.351, compared with controls. Those who tested positive between 2 weeks after the first dose and 6 days after the second dose were disproportionally infected by B.1.1.7. These findings suggest reduced vaccine effectiveness against both VOCs within particular time windows. Our results emphasize the importance of rigorously tracking viral variants, and of increasing vaccination to prevent the spread of VOCs. At early time points after vaccination with a single dose or two doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections can be disproportionately caused by the B.1.1.7 or B.1.351 variants of concern, underlining the need to ensure rapid and complete vaccination.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, viral infection, phylogenetics, 【초록키워드】 Vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, vaccination, VoC, B.1.351, neutralization, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, variants of concern, variants, cohort study, BNT162b2, Spread, Viral, B.1.1.7, nasopharyngeal swabs, mRNA, sera, VOCs, Effectiveness, Viral variants, distribution, SARS-CoV-2 infections, BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2 mRNA, single dose, BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, genomic sequencing, Evidence, dose, evidence of, B.1.351 variant, second dose, viral genome sequence, first dose, positive, vaccinees, service, apprehension, laboratory assays, Complete, Prevent, controls, effective, vaccinee, tested, performed, caused, proportion, reduced, evade, of BNT162b2, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2 variant, individual,