AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Suriot said on Sunday that the British pharmaceutical company vaccine is believed to be effective against the new coronavirus strain discovered in the UK.

So far, we believe the vaccine should still be effective. When asked how the vaccine can withstand the new alternative to the virus, Suriot said, « But we cannot be sure, so we will test that. »

Associated Press reports Soriot told the Sunday Times that AstraZeneca researchers have discovered a « winning formula » to make its formula as effective as Pfizer or Moderna, both of which have already been approved. AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to be approved this week, according to the Associated Press.

« We believe that we have come up with the winning formula and how to obtain the efficacy that, after two doses, will be present with everyone else, » said Soriot.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with the University of Oxford, was not initially thought to be as effective as its US counterparts, and partial results indicate that it is 70 percent effective in preventing disease, according to AP reports.

This new strain of the virus has raised alarm around the world, with many countries restricting or banning travel from the UK. The variant is thought to be much more contagious than the pre-existing coronavirus strain, although it is not thought to be more lethal or causative. More severe symptoms.

Moderna said last week that it also believes its vaccine can effectively protect people from the new strain.

The United Kingdom was the first Western country to approve a vaccine for the Coronavirus, and it granted approval for a Pfizer vaccine in early December. As of December 24, more than 600,000 have been vaccinated in the UK, according to the Associated Press.