[ad_1]
According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the new variant of the corona virus discovered in Britain is significantly more contagious than the known form based on initial findings. But there is no evidence that vaccines are less effective, Johnson told reporters in London. “There is still a lot we don’t know. But there is no evidence that the new variant triggers more or more serious disease processes ”. Additionally, the VUI-2020/12/01 virus variant has not yet determined a higher mortality rate.
Due to the mutation of the coronavirus, the government significantly tightened the restrictions for London starting this Sunday. “If the virus changes its method of attack, we will have to change our method of defense,” Johnson said. The previous three-stage corona warning system has now been expanded to four, including the capital and other regions in the southeast.
There, residents can only leave their homes for important reasons, such as going to the doctor or going to work. Even at Christmas she shouldn’t be meeting members of other households, Johnson stressed. “We can’t spend Christmas as planned.” All non-essential businesses and other facilities, such as gyms or hair salons, must close. Residents of the highest level 4 of Corona cannot leave this zone.
The new variant dominates
Then Johnson’s scientific advisers analyzed the properties of the new variant. What is particularly worrisome is the acceleration of the spread: the new variant is on its way to prevail over the rest of the variants. In London, the new variant accounted for about 28 percent of all cases in mid-November. Meanwhile, 62 percent of all London residents who tested positive are carriers of the new variant. It is on its way to becoming the dominant variant of the virus. In all parts of southern England, the new variant already accounts for more than half of the diseases.
The reason for this apparently is that it appears to be easier for the mutated virus to spread from person to person. Johnson now described the virus as “70 percent more contagious.” This has the potential to increase the so-called R number, which is used to describe the infection rate, by 0.4 points.
Although, according to British health experts, the new variant does not lead to a higher percentage of serious illnesses and deaths, the faster spread ensures a real increase in the number of cases. This explains the rigorous measures taken by the British: the large number of cases is putting even more pressure on the health system, which is already overloaded. London is now experiencing the largest increase in the number of cases at a time when an extensive lockdown had already been enacted; however, the increase in the prevalence rate ensures an increase in the number of sick people.
According to Fergus Walsh, a BBC medical expert, the new variant could also be behind the increase in the number of cases in Germany: it is already widespread in several European countries, but probably originated in the English county of Kent.
VUI-202012/01 is the name of the newly discovered crown mutation, the existence of which was announced by the UK government on Monday. The cryptic character string means “Variant under investigation” (virus variant under investigation), the numbers identify it as the first investigation object (/ 01) in December 2020.
The first mutation is VUI-202012/01 but not at all. Virus mutations are common and expected. Covid-19 has mutated about 4,000 times since it first appeared. Most of these mutations, however, are irrelevant and have no effect. The variant now identified in England is the third major mutation believed to affect the behavior of the Covid virus.
Since the British government announced Monday that the variant could accelerate the spread of Covid-19, unrest has increased. The mutation appears to be very similar to the virus mutations that occurred in mink farms in Denmark and the Netherlands in recent weeks. The mutation was determined by ongoing genome analyzes carried out on Covid samples.
