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Two new virus mutations have been found in the UK. One has been discovered in Bristol, another variant in Liverpool.
Both variants have the so-called E484K mutation, which has also been found in the South African and Brazilian variants, respectively.
A total of 76 cases of these two new variants of the British virus have been found. Researchers describe the Bristol variant as “worrisome,” reports Sky News. The Liverpool variant is currently classified as a “research variant”.
Sky News reports that increased infectivity has not been measured in the mutation, however there are indications that the vaccine is not as effective against the variant.
“It still has the same contagion, but it appears that this mutation could prevent immunity to some degree, which means it could possibly escape the vaccine,” said Rowland Manthorpe, technology correspondent for Sky News.
Britain is already battling the so-called Kent virus, which has shown signs of being a more contagious variant of the coronavirus. That variant has spread far beyond the country’s borders. Currently, Sweden has registered 155 cases of the mutation.
Matti Sällberg: “Something worse”
Matti Sällberg, professor and biomedical analyst at the Karolinska Institutet, follows the development and notes that there is a lack of knowledge about the new mutations.
Vaccine studies, including Astra Zenecas, have shown lower efficacy against the South African variant virus. It is not clear to what extent antibodies can protect against infection.
– In the case of the old British variant, the body’s immune response seems to work well. But when it comes to these new British, South African, and Brazilian variant mutations, it appears that the vaccine still works, but a little worse. We don’t know enough about reinfection, says Matti Sällberg.
