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The rapid spread of the coronavirus mutation has prompted tougher measures in London, while also sounding the alarm in Europe.
The coronavirus mutation has already been detected in the Netherlands and Denmark, while its latest “victim” is Italy. European countries worry that one country after another will suspend flights and trains to the UK.
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The mutation was first reported on December 14 in south-eastern England and was named VUI-202012/01. Scientists say such mutations are not uncommon and that more than 12,000 different strains already exist. What makes this mutation different from the others?
Why is this coronavirus mutation a cause for concern?
The BBC is trying to decipher the new coronavirus mutation, arguing that there are three elements that need attention.
- It quickly replaces other forms and mutations of the virus.
- This new form has mutations that can affect the original form of this coronavirus
- Some of these mutations have already been shown in laboratories to increase the ability of the virus to infect human cells.
All of these come together and create one case of a virus that can spread faster. “However, there is no absolute certainty,” said BBC columnist James Gallagher. 2 “.
How fast does it spread?
According to the BBC, first identified in September and November, about a quarter of the cases in London were the new mutation. This reached almost two-thirds of the cases in mid-December.
Boris Johnson said the mutation could be up to 70% more contagious, arguing that it could increase the R number by 0.4. That number (70%) appeared in a presentation by Dr. Erik Volz of Imperial College London on Friday. During the speech he said: “It is too early to say από, but from what we have seen so far it is growing very fast, it is growing faster than (a previous mutation), but it is important to observe this.”
For his part, the British Health Minister, wanting to defend the tightening of the measures, stressed that “the new executive was out of control”, adding that to give the vaccine more widely to protect citizens. “We will face this challenge in the next two months,” he said. At the same time, he claimed that the decision was made very early, as the data showed that the new executive is responsible for the vertical increase in Covid-19 cases.
As noted by BBC columnist James Gallagher, dthere is no “specific” pattern of how contagious the mutation may be. Scientists, whose work is not yet public, have told him that the numbers are much higher and much lower than 70%.
What do we know about the new mutations?
There were changes in the protein tip – this is the key that the virus uses to open the “door” in the cells of our body. A mutation called N501Y changes the most important part of the pin. This is where the beak first comes into contact with the surface of our body cells. Any change that makes it easier for the virus to enter is likely to give you an advantage.
Where does it come from?
The new version is unusually mutated. The most likely explanation is that it has occurred in a patient with a weakened immune system that was unable to defeat the virus. Instead, their bodies became a breeding ground for the virus to mutate.
Does it make the infection more deadly?
No evidence which show it makes it more deadly, although this needs to be monitored. However, the increased transmission would be enough to cause problems in hospitals. If the new mutation means that more people are getting infected faster, this in turn will cause more people to need hospital treatment.
Do vaccines treat this coronavirus mutation?
“It is almost certainly yes, or at least for the moment,” he writes, explaining that vaccines develop an immune response against the existing peak, so the question arises. Vaccines train the immune system to attack different parts of the virus, so even though part of the needle has mutated, the vaccines should work. “But if we let you add more mutations, then you start to worry,” said Professor Gupta.
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