The Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech protects against two new mutant variants that are causing rapid spread across the UK, new research suggests. The pharmaceutical giant and researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch carried out lab tests on the strains, one of which was found in the UK while the other originated in South Africa. The variants contain mutations including N501Y, an alteration in the spike protein of the virus, which is a target for vaccines. In the new study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, blood samples were taken from 20 people who received the Pfizer vaccine.