It is faster to replicate, but does not appear to be any more lethal. – Ansa /CorriereTv
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The new strain of Sars-CoV-2 is called “VUI-202012/01” (variant under investigation). It was first identified in mid-September in London and Kent, a county southeast of the British capital. In these areas, from being a minority, it became predominant in little more than two months. It has several mutations: the main one (N501Y) in the spike protein, which the virus uses to bind to human cells. This is potentially concerning: all available vaccines stimulate the production of antibodies against the spike. However, most researchers consider the vaccines unlikely to be ineffective against the new strain of Sars-CoV-2. According to the first data, the new variant should have a higher replicative efficiency compared to the previous ones. Therefore, it could replicate and spread faster. For WHO, it may affect the performance of some diagnostic tests. For now, it no longer appears to be lethal, although more studies are needed to prove it. British Health Minister Matt Hancock admitted that the situation in the country is “out of control”.