The biggest concern with the South African variant of the virus is that existing vaccines developed may not be effective in immunizing. 6 January 2021 South Africa buries victims of the new coronavirus.
To date, the emergence of the new coronavirus has caused more than 85 million infections and 1.8 million deaths worldwide. As the severity of the epidemic continues to overwhelm many countries, the emergence of a variant of the virus is adding to the problem.
A new variant of the coronavirus, which spread in South Africa, has appeared in several other countries, including the United Kingdom.
Experts are urgently looking to understand the risks posed by this variant, and the BBC Chinese website has six key questions to ask about it.
What is the new variant?
All viruses, including the one that causes Covid-19, mutate.
These small genetic changes occur as the virus continues to replicate in order to spread and become stronger .
Most mutations are of little consequence and a few even suppress the presence of the virus, but some make the virus more infectious or pose a threat to the host, i.e., humans.
There are thousands of different variants of the virus spreading epidemically in the epidemic. But what worries experts is focused on a small number of them.
One of them is the South African variant known as 501Y.V2.
What do the experts say?
The South African virus variant carries a mutation called E484K, among other genetic mutations.
It is different from another variant that British scientists have been working on recently.
Both the South African and British variants of the new variant appear to be more contagious and therefore pose problems that may require stricter quarantine measures for the entire community to control the spread of the virus.
While the changes in the new British variant are unlikely to compromise the effectiveness of the current vaccine, the mutations in the South African variant have the potential to affect the function of the vaccine to some degree, the scientists said.
More testing is needed to determine whether and to what extent the South African variant affects the effectiveness of the vaccine, although the likelihood of making the vaccine completely ineffective is quite small.
Dr. Simon Clarke, a cellular microbiologist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, said, “The South African variant has some additional mutations including some changes in the viral stinger protein, which is concerning.”
Coronaviruses are named for their corona-like outer crowns, which are called spike proteins, a glycoprotein that is the “key” for the virus to enter the body’s cells. It is also the focus of vaccine development and is the main target of the host’s immune defense. That’s why experts are concerned about these particular mutations.
The South African variant results in a more extensive alteration of the stinger protein compared to the Kent variant, which may make the virus more retarded in its immune response to vaccine triggers,” said Dr. Clark. “
The E484K mutation has been found to reduce antibody recognition,” said Professor Francois Balloux of University College London’s Francois Balloux. It therefore helps the SARS-CoV-2 virus to bypass immune protection provided by prior infection or vaccination.”
But even in a worst-case scenario, experts say, the vaccine could be redesigned and adapted within weeks or months to make it better for the new variant, if necessary.
Are variants more dangerous?
There is no evidence that any one variant of the virus causes more serious illness.
And measures such as washing your hands, keeping your distance from others, and wearing a mask will still help stop the spread of the virus.
How far has the variant virus spread?
It is already the main virus variant in the eastern part of South Africa and the Western Cape.
Other countries where cases have been found include Austria, Norway and Japan.
Two cases of the South African variant of the virus have been found in the United Kingdom – one in London and the other in the northwest of England. Both have had contact with people who have traveled to South Africa.
What is the global response to the virus variants?
The UK, as well as several countries, have stopped entry to South Africa and have restricted flights to South Africa. Anyone who has recently been to South Africa, and anyone who has had contact with them, has been told to quarantine immediately.
Public health authorities and scientists are studying the variant and will soon make their findings public.
Dr. Susan Hopkins, Public Health England’s chief medical advisor on Covid-19, said, “We have made it a priority to understand the potential risks that this variant could pose . But it is extremely important to note that there is no evidence that this variant causes more serious disease, nor is there evidence that an approved vaccine is not effective against this variant.”
What do South African scientists say?
South African scientists say it is “reasonable” to be concerned that the new variant of Covid-19 sweeping South Africa may be more resistant to existing vaccines being promoted in the UK and elsewhere.
Professor Shabir Madhi, who is in charge of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine trials in South Africa, told the BBC that “the concern is still theoretical and it is reasonable to be concerned that the South African variant of the virus may be more resistant.
Professor Barry Schoub, chairman of the South African government’s Vaccine Advisory Committee, said the “prima facie evidence” from the tests did not suggest that the variants would allow the virus to “escape” the effects of existing vaccines.
Citing the results of laboratory tests, Professor Schoub said the vaccine appeared to be very effective and that it still had a neutralizing effect on the new variants.
However, Professor Marty said that critical laboratory tests had not yet begun and that the vaccine’s efficacy against the new variant would only be known “in the next few weeks”.
How is the World Health Organization responding?
The World Health Organization announced on December 31, 2020 that it has received several reports of unusual public health events that may be caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 variant since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO said it will regularly assess whether variants cause changes in transmission rates, clinical presentation and severity of illness, and whether variants affect the response, including diagnosis, treatment and vaccines.
The WHO said the South African variant was preceded by the Danish and British variants of the virus. The Danish variant of the virus appeared in August and September 2020, but only 12 cases were eventually diagnosed in Denmark and the virus variant did not spread to a wider area.
In the UK, the virus variant was reported on December 14, 2020. The South African variant was first identified on December 18. Further investigation and research is needed on this variant with respect to the impact of transmission, clinical severity of infection, laboratory diagnosis, treatment, vaccines, or public health precautions.
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