Questions: the neutralizing activity against viral mutants by several COVID-19 vaccines?

Several clinical research groups have been assessing whether health care workers with previous COVID-19 infection could mount recall responses to a single dose of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2). The clinical research group also demonstrated that health care workers with previous COVID-19 infection, based on laboratory-confirmed serology testing, had higher antibody titer responses to a single dose of BNT162b2 than those who were not previously infected (1).

The original SARS-CoV-2 first identified in Wuhan, China, SARS-CoV-2 variants first identified in the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), and Brazil (P.1) have been detected in recent months in the worldwide. As of April 14, 2021, the infection status by the SARS-CoV-2 mutant in Japan is shown as following, in Tokyo metropolitan area, SARS-CoV-2 variant (N501Y) has been detected in about 25% of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 (2). In the Osaka region, SARS-CoV-2 variant (N501Y) has been detected in about 75% of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2. In about one month, the type of infectious virus has changed rapidly from the original SARS-CoV-2 to the SARS-CoV-2 variant (N501Y).

Preliminary study already demonstrated that a single dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine would induce neutralizing antibody activation against the B.1.1.7 and P.1 mutants in peoples previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 (3). Therefore, clinical researchers have to investigate whether one dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, BBIBP-CorV vaccine or other vaccines would increase neutralizing activity against the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 variants in persons previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 with several large cohorts.

Our medical institution is a medical facility designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan to accept COVID-19 critically ill patients.　As of April 16, 2021, total 20 beds for COVID-19 patients (5 beds of severe illness and 15 beds of moderate illness) are full. ECMO is in full operation.

References
1. Saadat S. JAMA. 325(14), April 13, 2021.
2. Hayashi T, Konishi I. JAMA Published on online April 07, 2021.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2776543
3. Lustig Y. et al. N Engl J Med. April 7, 2021. DOI:10.1056/NEJMc2104036

Author contributions
T.H. wrote the manuscript. I.K. carefully reviewed the manuscript and commented on aspects of clinical medicine, shared information on clinical medicine.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Data availability and Consent to publish
This manuscript is an editorial and does not contain research data.
Therefore, there is no research data or information to be published or opened.

Acknowledgments
We thank all the medical staffs and co-medical staffs for providing and helping medical research at National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center.

Doctor specializing in cancer medicine/Cancer genomic medicine/Emerging infectious diseases                                                                                       JAMA Published on April 15, 2021. by Kyoto@Takuma H