Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provides minimal protection against SA virus variant

The headlines for this small study have evolved throughout the day. As seems usual they increasingly focus on worst case interpretation.

There is absolutely not enough data to come to any conclusion here.

The protein spike tested on more common variants in wider studies shows pretty good efficacy with several of the vaccines and there is little reason to believe this will be any different.

The SA variant has existed in the UK for 4 months and represents 0.05% of all sequenced samples. Despite almost no restrictions SA deaths are dropping dramatically.

I'm really getting tired of the desire to use a lack of information to assume worst case scenarios. That philosophically disingenuous behaviour has gone someway to being more destructive than anything wrought by any virus.

Minimal and "no one hospitalized regardless of age" may be simultaneously true, but I personally value the latter more. I'm not trying to exterminate covid, personally, just not be permanently harmed by it.