Professor Čaplinskas on a new strain of coronavirus: this may be especially relevant for Lithuania

The infectivity is 70 percent. higher

Professor S. Čaplinskas noted that the new strain of coronavirus in the UK was detected by molecular epidemiological analysis.

“5-10% Coronavirus infection cases diagnosed in the UK are investigated using the genetic sequencing method. In other words, it looks at what a virus is, what its structure is, whether it changes or not. This is how you can know who is infected with what and where the virus circulates.

When the British noticed that the number of new infections began to rise very rapidly in November by studying gene sequences, the gene chains found that up to 10% across the country and more than 50% in south-east England, ie more than half viruses “, – S. Čaplinskas told how the virus mutation was detected for the portal” Delfi “.

According to the doctor, the fact that viruses are constantly changing is not news to scientists. Virsses are constantly looking for new opportunities to infiltrate new hosts.

This is also the case with the SARS-Co-V2 virus, which at the time jumped the species barrier, adapted to the new host, humans, and was constantly looking for ways to spread, multiply and spread in the most intense way. possible.

This virus is shaped like a crown (hence its name). Its surface protein, the peak at which the virus enters host cells, has undergone a mutation that facilitates this penetration, which helps the virus multiply more quickly and spread more.

“The reproduction rate of the mutated virus is 0.4 times higher than that of the first strains that started to spread. This means that its infectivity is 70 percent. Higher. This happened because it is now easier for the measured virus to penetrate in the cell, ”explained S. Čaplinskas.

Lithuania is like in the Stone Age

And yet, although the mutated virus is much more contagious, the professor assured that there is still no scientific evidence that such a change leads to a more severe clinical course of COVID-19 and that possibly more people will die from it.

“It is also too early to say whether or not the efficacy of the newly developed vaccine may differ for these new strains. But all this presupposes the idea that the virus needs to be monitored, as I have said many times at the beginning of the epidemic. You need to learn from the virus all the time, learn from each other, learn from your mistakes, achievements and others, as well as from viruses.

The virus forces us to study it and continue to see how it can spread so that our fight against it is more effective ”, S. Čaplinskas did not doubt.

According to the professor, molecular epidemiological analysis can be of great use here.

“I regret that we are now in the Stone Age and that we are conducting epidemiological analyzes through questionnaires, phone calls and without linking molecular epidemiology, laboratory capacity and analytical data. Other methods, including simple diagnostic methods, should be introduced as soon as possible, “said the researcher.

Two tasks

S. Čaplinskas noted that the mutated virus had already spread to other countries. In Denmark, for example, molecular monitoring has already identified 9 cases of the new strain, one in the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia.

According to the professor, biological intelligence is very important. Only this allows the timely detection of where the new mutation is spreading and its prevention.

And so far, it is proposed to restrict the movement of people in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading to other countries.

“Now it is suggested to remember what was there at the beginning: to try to prevent the virus from entering other areas. It goes, as a result of which several countries immediately closed, reduced the movement with England, no matter how painful and whatever the consequences. But the consequences of the virus could be even more painful in the future if it spreads widely.

On the other hand, one must work on molecular epidemiology: has this strain been changed to see or not? In Lithuania, this can be especially relevant, because we fully understand our relations with Great Britain, how many of our inhabitants are there, now returning or traveling from one place to another.

Without all of these preventive measures, the virus can spread even faster. We are all already aware of what threatens our health system and our lives.

On the other hand, if there are patients for whom monoclonal antibody treatment has been ineffective, it is necessary to analyze why: perhaps it is an already altered virus and donor blood, the donor’s immunoglobulins may be completely ineffective, “said S. Čaplinskas .

The effectiveness of the virus will decrease in the summer.

When asked if the new coronavirus mutation could delay the end of the pandemic, the professor did not hide: anything could happen.

“We just realized that one day it would end. In the summer, the effectiveness of the virus will definitely decrease on its own. And if a more extensive vaccination is launched in the summer, we can expect a brighter fall or winter accordingly.

But expect the virus to be defeated next winter, there are no assumptions. That is, certain limitations: at least the use of masks, recommendations to maintain distances indoors, etc., will obviously remain in force. It will not yet be the case that the immunity of the population is created in such a way that only individuals who can infect each other remain.

If people can infect each other, if they don’t interact too much with each other, they can’t come together accordingly, the virus has nowhere to spread. This will have to wait, “said S. Čaplinskas.

So far, the doctor has not been able to give a firm answer to the frequent question of whether coronavirus patients still need to be vaccinated.

“It just came to our attention then. From what we know today, it can be assumed that you may need to get vaccinated again every year. But there is still no answer.

One thing is clear, as long as there is a shortage of the vaccine and there is not enough for everyone, for those who will be sick, the vaccine can be postponed until there is enough data on it and the vaccine itself, “said the professor.