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Towards the end of 2020, when vaccines to end SARS CoV-2 finally began to spread to the masses in various countries around the world, a new strain of COVID-19 emerged in the UK, Australia, South Africa and a few others. surrounding regions. the world claimed by the authorities is spreading much faster.
Reuters
The mutation called B.1.1.7. o B-117 caused the entire UK nation to crash for Christmas and the upcoming New Years celebrations, preventing people from traveling while several nations also stopped their flights and trains to the UK.
But what is this new strain and why should we stay away from it? Let’s find out:
Does B-117 spread faster than other mutations?
It is no secret that viruses are known to mutate and Researchers have been watching for mutations in the new coronavirus for quite some time.. B-117 appears to be more potent to spread, based on epidemiological and genetic analyzes, as revealed by Peter Horby, an infectious disease expert at the University of Oxford, “We are now very confident that this variant has a transmission advantage over other virus variants currently found in the UK.”
However, some researchers are looking for more evidence, as a variant of the new coronavirus is very likely to appear more contagious if it managed to control an area that could facilitate its spread.
Reuters
Is the UK’s Most Dangerous B-117 Coronavirus Strain?
So far, researchers have only found that the new strain is more transmissible and does not affect its pathogenicity or the way it causes disease. Researchers in the UK are looking at people infected with this strain of the new coronavirus, their hospital stay and the death rate caused by the B1.1.7 strain.
Susan Hopkins, epidemiologist at Public Health England said in a statement, “It’s the early days, so as people know, both hospital admissions and mortality are lagging indicators, usually taking two to four weeks to see. I think we will be very cautious until we have enough time to be able to make accurate assessments. “
What about immunity?
With vaccinations starting in various parts of the world, people who have recently been vaccinated now fear whether their immunity will be able to save them from the B.1.1.7 strain. The researchers say that, for now, there is no indication that the virus has mutated enough to become resistant to existing immune protection. But it is crucial to be sure of this because this strain has had several mutations during the pandemic.
While it’s no secret that viruses evolve and mutate, B.1.1.7 has turned up with at least 17 mutations. according to a genetic analysis Led by Andrew Rambaut of the University of Edinburgh and his team.
Reuters
This is of concern in vaccine terms, as a vaccine is actually designed to help the immune system develop antibodies against a particular type of spike and block them. If the spike is of a different configuration, the immune system will not really recognize it and will allow it to harm the body.
This is also the case for antibodies developed by human bodies after being infected with a particular variation of the new coronavirus, according to Wendy Barclay, director of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, who revealed this in a briefing last week.
Reuters
But not all is lost
However, Wendy mentioned that in a human immune system, there are other components that help fight virus-like T cells, who are present for more than six months, according to studies. Furthermore, even in the case of vaccines, antibodies can attack different parts of the spike proteins, performing different maneuvers to stop the virus. According to Wendy, it is highly unlikely that the new strain will be able to survive through all these barriers.
Also, even if you survive despite these barriers, immunizations are likely to make the virus less lethal or potent. However, denoting the efficacy of a vaccine against new strains is crucial.
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