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SINGAPORE – Measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 would remain valid for the fast-spreading strain circulating in the UK and which may show up in more cases here, unless it is lost to the community, infectious disease experts said. .
So far there is a confirmed case with the most contagious B117 strain in Singapore, a 17-year-old Singaporean who arrived from Britain on December 6. There are at least 13 others with positive preliminary tests for the strain, including a Singapore Airlines pilot. and a holder of a work pass returning from the UK.
“The community need not be particularly concerned about (the new strain), especially if people continue to practice individual safe handling measures such as wearing masks and social distancing,” said Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the University. Singapore National. (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.
Professor Ooi Eng Eong, an expert in emerging infectious diseases at the Duke-NUS School of Medicine, said current control measures should be sufficient, as the UK variant is still mainly spread via respiratory droplets.
However, “things may change if we start to see the transmission of the English variant that we cannot nip in the bud through tracing and contact testing,” said associate professor Alex Cook, vice dean of research at the Saw school. Swee Hock.
The B117 strain is reportedly 70% more contagious, but has shown no signs of being more lethal or severe. An analysis from the UK found that the variant is linked to a higher viral load in respiratory samples, which may be the reason why it is more transmissible.
Singapore has established travel restrictions against the United Kingdom, prohibiting all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been there in the past 14 days from entering or transiting Singapore.
Starting Monday, the same restrictions will apply to travelers from South Africa, where another potentially more contagious strain circulates.
When asked if it was necessary to review the stay-at-home notice beyond 14 days in light of the most contagious strains, experts said this was not necessary, as only a few people present with the infection afterward. of the quarantine period.
Professor Ooi said there is a need to balance case prevention and costs to keep public health measures sustainable.
“Meeting the extremes of the incubation period and unusual cases would make Covid-19 prevention in Singapore even more expensive,” he added.
Professor Cook suggests increasing the number of tests for those in quarantine.
To protect the country against more contagious strains, 90 percent or more of Singapore’s population may need to be vaccinated.
On Thursday, the UK reported 55,892 cases of Covid-19, its highest daily total of the year, mainly driven by the new variant.
Experts noted that the virus has been mutating since the pandemic, but most mutations have not affected transmissibility.
Infectious disease specialist Leong Hoe Nam said: “The virus is only interested in taking over the world. The virus is interested in mutating to a milder strain or a strain that is more transmissible, rather than one that will kill the host.” .
Places that have large outbreaks offer more food for the virus to mutate.
The best way to stop the emergence of new variants is to stop the Covid-19 outbreaks, so work on Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes it, must continue, said Professor Gavin Smith, acting director of Emerging. from Duke-NUS School of Medicine. Infectious Diseases Program.
He said: Most mutations are what we call “neutral”, they do not change the behavior of the virus.
“But occasionally there will be mutations that change the behavior of the virus in unpredictable ways. So it is important that public health agencies and scientists remain vigilant and keep track of any new variants that may emerge.”
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