The National Institute of Health, in partnership with the International Vaccine Institute, will conduct clinical trials starting in September to evaluate the efficacy of the Verocell vaccine against the new covid-19 variantswas announced this Tuesday.   

"The clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Verocell vaccine against the locally circulating variants of concern and to understand the durability of immunity after vaccination," the National Institute of Health note indicates.

According to the entity, research will also evaluate the vaccine's immunogenicity in people infected with AIDS, analyzing the possibility of extending vaccination to this group.

"In addition, as part of this study, the potential for coadministration of the Verocell vaccine with seasonal Influenza vaccines will be evaluated," the document adds.

On the other hand, the clinical trial should also evaluate the "safety and immunogenicity of mixed administration schedules of Verocell and other vaccines," as well as the possibility of administering two vaccines to the same person.

The trial is conducted through the initiative for the expansion and distribution of covid-19 vaccines in Africa, ECOVA, which integrates Mozambique's National Institute of Health, the International Vaccine Institute, the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research in Bangladesh, the University of Heidelberg in Germany, Harvard University in the United States, and the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar.

Mozambique, which is experiencing the third wave of covid-19, registers an increase in the number of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations, after a reduction recorded between March and May.

Since the announcement of the first case in March last year, Mozambique has a total of 1,138 deaths due to covid-19 and 100,785 infections, 76% of which have been recovered, according to the latest updates.