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Viruses constantly mutate
According to LSMU professor and infectologist Alvydas Laiškonis, the fact that the virus has mutated is not new, because viruses and bacteria are constantly mutating.
“Every microorganism, be it a virus or a bacterium, tries to survive and fight for the state. If you find yourself in perhaps worse conditions, try adjusting to those conditions. When the virus begins to spread in society, it faces a variety of resistances, explained the professor.
– It can be genetic factors, environmental conditions, temperature. Each virus is plastic and tries to adapt to new living conditions, to be more aggressive. This property has been known for a long time in virology. In an effort to adapt, it changes, mutates, alters certain proteins to survive. This is another virological situation, it could have been foreseen. “
According to the interlocutor, it is naive to expect that this strain of the virus is only available in the UK. After all, it is known that this form is already found in other countries, and it is almost impossible to stop the movement of people. It is the UK that is talking about this a lot now, because it has introduced a new variety.
“Perhaps they suspected that morbidity had started to increase sharply and that the state of the art there was high, perhaps that is why they were the first to notice it,” said prof. A. Laiškonis.
However, very little is still known about this “mutant”. And the world found out about him last week. As the infectologist tells us, everything that happens in the laboratories is a secret process and the data is only provided when the result is determined.
Therefore, we do not have any data, only this information about the new variety was published in the press, which generated a lot of confusion. As far as we know, this form can be more contagious than the current one ”, said the interlocutor.
Flight restrictions are only a temporary measure
On Sunday, the government decided to temporarily suspend flights from the UK to Lithuania. However, as the interlocutor says, this is a very temporary measure that will not stop the spread. After all, people can dodge and cross the border in other ways, like flying to Spain and from there to Lithuania. Also, there is a high probability that there are already people who have been infected with a new form of coronavirus.
However, the bigger question at this point remains whether the vaccines developed against the coronavirus will work with the new strain. There is no exact answer yet, as this requires further investigation.
Infectologist, professor at LSMU Alvydas Laiškonis
© DELFI / Nerijus Povilaitis
“Now that the mutated virus has not been identified, it is not clear if it will work. There are only hypotheses. At the moment, the task of scientists is to find out, – said the infectologist.
– I have no doubt that this mutation will also reach Lithuania. It cannot be that people do not come to Lithuania by other means. If this mutation is not already with us. No country has protected itself from it. “
The professor also does not rule out the possibility that, when this form is extremely aggressive and rapidly contagious, it becomes a major strain of coronavirus.
The professor has no doubt that we will overcome the pandemic
The fact that viruses constantly mutate is known, of course, from the simplest example we encounter each year: the influenza virus. This microorganism mutates almost every year, so it often happens that a vaccine developed in one year is no longer suitable for another, because the flu subtype changes.
Although it seems that we are already at the finish line when the coronavirus vaccine is developed, the appearance of a new strain of the virus generates a lot of anxiety and asks again: will we ever overcome this pandemic? The teacher has the answer.
“Of course we will overcome the pandemic, but now it is a matter of time, financial capacity and scientific knowledge. Needless to say, this may take some time. Also, don’t expect us all to get vaccinated in January or February. Vaccination of the population can only begin in the spring of next year. The population will be vaccinated last, after doctors, social workers, – said prof. A. Laiškonis.
– Now we just have to wait. The new mutation needs to be studied to see how much it could affect the vaccine. “
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