The vaccine is worried about whether it can survive the mutated virus.
The outbreak of the Chinese Communist Party virus in China has spread to the United Kingdom, and then there are rumors of a mutation of the virus, which coincides with the official announcement of the mainland to carry out vaccination, the outside world is worried whether the vaccine can survive the test of the mutated virus.
Late on Dec. 22, Zhang Wenhong, director of the infection department at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, said in a microblog post that in response to the discovery of a new mutant strain of the Chinese communist virus in the United Kingdom, he believed that the virus “mutates naturally and is expected.”
Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infection at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, posted an article on Weibo late at night on the 22nd. (Photo source: Weibo)
He further said that just like the D614G mutation that appeared some time ago, it is a natural phenomenon of biological evolution for viruses to mutate and emerge as dominant strains in transmission. The CCP virus is an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus and mutations occur naturally as the virus replicates. “Thousands of mutations have emerged, but only a very small number may be important and change the virus in a detectable way.”
As for whether the mutations affect the vaccine, Zhang Wenhong said the current vaccine produces antibodies against many regions of the S protein, and a single mutation, such as the D614G mutation that appeared last month, and the N501Y mutation that appeared this time, is unlikely to reduce the vaccine’s effectiveness. But he also said that the virus mutates every day, and more mutations occur over time, and once a variant that is ineffective against the vaccine is found, the vaccine needs to be adjusted, just as the flu vaccine is adjusted.
In addition to Zhang Wenhong’s late-night article worried about the impact of the variant virus on people’s willingness to administer the vaccine, Chinese Academy of Engineering member Zhong Nanshan also talked about the Chinese vaccine on the 22nd, he said the UK found a variant of the Chinese communist virus, its toxicity, lethality, etc. There is no further evidence as to whether there is an impact on the effectiveness of the existing vaccine, but also depends on subsequent developments.
The executive director of WHO’s public health emergency program, Ryan, also said that although the CCP virus is more likely to spread after mutation, there is no clear evidence that the mutated virus is more lethal.
In response to the above series of comments by Chinese epidemic prevention experts, a private discussion was launched.
A mainland netizen questioned, writing, “The mutant strain in the U.K. is not unexpected, and vaccination can just advance methodically, but if mutation is so normal, then what exactly is the abnormal factor that has led foreign countries to immediately take the toughest flight and personnel blockade against the U.K…. And what kind of policy considerations led the British government to declare the highest level (Level 4) of precautionary measures for London, simply because it was to relieve the pressure on medical institutions?”
The netizen confessed, “I feel that Dr. Zhang Wenhong, also constrained by limited information, failed to give us a clear answer to this critical question. The British and European governments, which have always been slow to act, are suddenly so decisive, not quite because of a simple sudden change, and the so-called 70% increase in transmission is not quite an actual statistic, but a transmission estimate …”
Some netizens also questioned Zhong Nanshan, who originally said that Wuhan pneumonia would not be transmitted from person to person, but later changed his mind that it could be transmitted from person to person, “and now a new subject has emerged: environmental transmission. Since December, there have been confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections in many places in China. How will the epidemic situation develop? Can we still go home for ‘New Year’s Eve’? Give advice.” “The past year, how much more change is needed?” Another netizen trolled Zhong Nanshan, “the more the face looks month villain! Sure enough the face is born from the heart.”
Netizens trolled Zhong Nanshan, “the more you look at the face of the month villain! Sure enough, the face is born of the heart.” (Photo source: microblogging)
It should be noted that at least 40 countries and regions around the world have adopted travel bans on the UK after rumors of the mutation of the Chinese Communist virus in the UK. Embargoes are now in place in London, the East of England and the South East of England, affecting up to a million people. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also urgently announced that London will cancel Christmas events this year.
Although the UK’s Emerging Respiratory Virus Threat Advisory Group (NERVTAG) is tracking the path of transmission of the variant, the variant has quickly become the dominant strain in southern England and may spread nationwide in the future.
In mainland China, although the official stressed that the evolution of the epidemic is a normal phenomenon, people do not need to worry excessively, but in response to the mutation of the virus in the United Kingdom, the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom website also issued a notice on the 22nd, that the Chinese visa service center in London suspended operations from now on.
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