Will people vaccinated with the vaccine that protects against the original virus need an updated version of the vaccine to be protected against the new variant?

Question

A.Yes, because the original virus A has mutated into a completely new virus, and the existing antibodies would be ineffective.
B.Yes, because the surface protein in the variant is structurally different from the original virus A protein that was used to design the vaccine.
C.No, because the antibodies created against a specific type of virus are always effective against all variants of that virus.
D.No, because antibodies adapt to the shape of their target antigens and will recognize them even when they mutate.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. Yes, because the surface protein in the variant is structurally different from the original virus A protein that was used to design the vaccine.

While some degree of cross-protection may occur due to the immune response, significant changes in the virus's surface proteins (antigens) can lead to decreased effectiveness of the original vaccine against new variants. Thus, updated vaccines may be necessary to ensure adequate protection against these variants.