AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine works against UK variant, Oxford says

LONDON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca AZN.L and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine has similar efficacy against the "Kent" coronavirus variant currently circulating in Britain as it does to the previously circulating variants, the university said on Friday.

The findings, released in a preprint paper and not peer-reviewed, also detailed recent analysis showing that vaccination with the shot results in a reduction in the duration of shedding and viral load, which may translate into a reduced transmission of the disease, Oxford University said.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Michael Holden)

((alistair.smout@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 7064; Reuters Messaging: alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))