Keeping up with Covid mutations could require vaccine cooperation

Production of new flu vaccine each year shows it should be possible to adapt to coronavirus variants if necessary

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The technology exists to rapidly tweak vaccines in the face of new coronavirus mutations. But it would take time, and a global strategy is needed to ensure that scientists stay one step ahead.

The emergence of more transmissible variants of Sars-CoV-2 has prompted debate over whether the vaccines developed to date will continue to give protection. Although there is little evidence to suggest this is an issue with the variants detected in the UK, South Africa and Brazil, immunologists fear further mutations.