New variants of the coronavirus are emerging that are more contagious than the original that started the pandemic: these are the English, South African and Brazilian strains of the coronavirus.
There is some evidence that the version now prevalent in the UK may be even more deadly. Scientists are studying these mutated versions to understand what kind of threat they pose, writes the BBC.
What are the new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus?
There are thousands of virus variants or variants of COVID-19 circulating. The care of specialists is focused on the following:
- UK version respectively English strain of coronavirus, which became dominant in much of Great Britain and spread to more than 50 other countries;
- South African version or South African strain of coronavirus, which has also been found in at least 20 other countries, including the United Kingdom;
- Brazilian version or the Brazilian strain of the coronavirus.
It is not unexpected that they have evolved new versions, all viruses mutate to prolong their chances of spreading and surviving. Most of these mutations are nothing to worry about, but some mutations can even threaten their own survival. Of course, there are also mutations that can make the virus more dangerous than the original.
Are newer strains of the virus more dangerous?
There is no evidence that any of the new strains cause much more severe disease in most infected people. As with the original version of the virus, the risk is greatest for the elderly or those with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer patients, as well as those with autoimmune diseases.
For the new variant of the UK virus, there is some research that suggests it may be related with a 30% higher risk of death. The evidence is not strong and the data are still uncertain. More studies are underway. Measures such as hand washing, social distancing and wearing protective masks will continue to help prevent infections, and because there are reasonable doubts that new variants are spreading faster, caution is needed, the BBC writes.
Photo: Freepik
What's going on with the virus?
UK, South Africa and Brazil versions could be much more infectious than previous versions. All three strains were modified in the protein part of the virus that binds to human cells. This makes these variants appear to be more contagious and spread quickly. Experts estimate that the English strain appeared in September and could be up to 70 percent more contagious, although a recent english survey of public health estimates that it is between 30 and 50 percent more contagious.
South African strain appeared in October and has potentially more significant changes in the protein part than the English strain. It has the same mutations as the English strain and two others that scientists believe could affect the effectiveness of the vaccine. Some research show that one of these mutations can help the virus to evades parts of the immune system called antibodies.
There is no evidence that the new variant causes a much more severe course of the disease in most people who become infected. As with the original version, the risk is greatest for the elderly or those with co-morbidities. But there are concerns it could spread more easily, and vaccines against the new strains may not work, the BBC writes.
The Brazilian version first appeared in July and has three key mutations in the protein part that make it similar to the South African one. Brazilian strain, named B.1.1.248, was first discovered by the Japanese during routine testing of passengers arriving in Tokyo. Even the Brazilian strain has changed the virus to such an extent that makes it difficult for antibodies to bind, which would prevent it from entering the body.
Will the vaccine work against new strains of the coronavirus?
There are some ongoing studies to check this early results however, they show that the Pfizer vaccine protects against a new strain that has emerged in Britain. Current vaccines are designed around earlier versions of the virus, but scientists believe they should still work against the new strains, although perhaps not as effectively. Early results The modern ones show that their vaccine is still effective against the South African version of the coronavirus. Even in the worst case scenario, vaccines could be redesigned to work better against new types of virus. The coronavirus vaccine could thus become like the flu vaccine, which adapts to new types of flu every year.
