Updated: December 21, 2020 3:34:03 pm
Union Minister of Health, DR Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that the government was on alert about the new strain of coronavirus that has emerged in the UK and called on people not to panic. The variant has raised concern and has led several countries to halt incoming flights from the UK.
“From now on, there is no need to get involved with these imaginary situations, imaginary panic. The Center is alert and there is no need to panic, ”said Vardhan, speaking at the curtain-opening ceremony of the 6th India International Science Festival-2020 (IISF 2020). “The government is fully aware of everything. If you ask me, there is no reason to panic from the way we are seeing this press conference, ”said the minister, adding that the government had done everything that was important to handle the COVID-19 situation in the last year.
Shortly before Vardhan’s appeal, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Center to immediately ban all flights from the UK due to the “super spreader” mutation.
Highest advisory body of the Ministry of Health is expected to meet today to discuss the new strain of the virus and the future course of action. Sources said The Indian Express The meeting will be attended by experts from AIIMS and the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), along with a representative from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Echoing Kejriwal, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said medical experts should be prepared with a treatment plan in the event of any outbreak of the new strain of the virus. “The new strain of the new coronavirus emerging in the UK is of great concern. GoI must take swift action, prepare a contingency plan to contain the same and also immediately ban all flights from the UK and other European countries, ”Gehlot tweeted.
The new strain of the new coronavirus emerging in the UK is of great concern. GoI must take swift action, prepare a contingency plan to contain the same and also immediately ban all flights from the UK and other European countries.
1 /– Ashok Gehlot (@ ashokgehlot51) December 21, 2020
“India needs both a preparedness plan and steps to restrict any movement from the affected country or countries. Our medical experts must be prepared with a treatment plan in the event of any outbreak of the new strain of the virus. Health protocols must be followed even more strictly, ”he said.
The new strain shows alterations in the spike protein that could theoretically make it more infectious.
The Covid-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium, which randomly carries out genetic sequencing of Covid-19 positive samples in Britain, has identified a new set of mutations in the virus, called VUI-202012/0. In a report on Saturday, COG-UK said that one of the most important mutations, N501Y, occurs in the region of the peak protein, the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which the virus uses to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. . “Changes in this region of the spike protein can cause the virus to change its ACE2-binding specificity and alter antibody recognition,” said COG-UK.
However, the consortium emphasized that “at this time, there is no reason to believe that any of the mutations discussed here will affect the efficacy of the vaccine.”
The mutation has caused 1,100 new infections in 60 local authority areas, according to reports, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Earlier on December 14, Hancock had told the House of Commons that initial analysis revealed that the new variant “may be associated” with the recent increase in cases in south-east England.
Italy said on Monday it had detected a patient infected with the new strain of coronavirus. The patient and his partner had returned to the country from the UK.
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