Is the vaccine effective against it? And why is it referred to as the “worst ever”?

NEW COVID variants threaten the fight against the virus. “deeply concerning” scientists.

While ministers have taken swift action to stop it from reaching the UK, there is a chance the strain could already be spreading quickly.

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This variant is scientifically known as B.1.1.529, and was only discovered in the last few days.

It would be given the following name: “Nu”If the World Health Organization determines that the strain is not a, it will notify the World Health Organization. “Variant of Concern”.

Most infections occur in South Africa, where there has been a significant rise in Covid cases.

Because of its unique characteristics, it has the potential to alter the course and outcome of the pandemic. However, scientists don’t know much about this.

What do we know now?

It is the worst thing ever!

This is the opinion of many experts.

Prof Ewan Birney, Deputy Director General of European Molecular Biology Laboratory, said: “Early evidence from genomic surveillance in South Africa suggests that B.1.1.529 is a serious cause for concern.”

Due to its rapid spread, the strain has twice the mutations of Delta.

Professor Sharon Peacock, Director, COG-UK Genomics UK Consortium said that initial observations suggest that the variant can be. “outcompete Delta – the ‘fittest’ variant we have seen to date”.

She stated that her concerns were the rapid growth of cases and the fact that the variant contained so many mutations, some which are not known to scientists.

What year did it first appear in the public eye?

Scientists in the UK first discovered the new strain on November 23, 2003.

Samples were uploaded to a website that tracks coronavirus variants from South Africa, Hong Kong, and then Botswana.

How many are there?

In South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong, there have been less than 100 cases.

While there aren’t many cases as of yet, it’s the speed at which they have grown that are concerning.

Are there any UK cases?

Officials, including Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, have confirmed that there are currently no cases in the UK.

But Dr Susan Hopkins (chief medical adviser at UK Health Security Agency) said it was “always possible”The variant was available in the UK.

When asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme whether it was in the UK she replied: “It’s always possible, we have no cases identified whatsoever yet.”

Do you think it spreads faster?

Scientists claim that the strain is spreading faster than Delta in South Africa based on their observations, but no conclusive evidence has been found.

Mr Javid claimed: “The early indication we have of this variant is it may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective against it.”

Dr Hopkins stated that the R rate in Gauteng, South Africa, where the variant is concentrated, has jumped to 2.

It was, she said. “really quite high”Similar to what it would have been in the UK prior to the March 2020 lockdown.

Prof James Naismith is the director of Rosalind Franklin Institute. He spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme about the variant “looks like it spreads more quickly but we do not know that”.

It is unclear if the virus can cause more severe illnesses than other variants.

Are vaccines effective against it?

It’s too early to say, but experts fear it could weaken vaccine efficacy by up to 40 per cent.

This estimate is based on comparing it with the Beta variant, which was originally discovered in South Africa in December 2020. It also had some anti-antibody dodging mutations.

Prof Naismith, the new variant “almost certainly”This will make vaccines less effective.

Scientists are concerned about this variant.

Sajid Javid The Health Secretary

Prof Neil Ferguson, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said: “The B.1.1.529 variant has an unprecedented number of mutations in the spike protein gene, the protein which is the target of most vaccines.

“There is therefore a concern that this variant may have a greater potential to escape prior immunity than previous variants.

“However, we do not yet have reliable estimates of the extent to which B.1.1.529 might be either more transmissible or more resistant to vaccines, so it is too early to be able to provide an evidence-based assessment of the risk it poses.”

It is possible for the variant to be vaccine-resistant, but it wouldn’t render them useless.

Scientists previously said that vaccines could be quickly modified to protect against new strains if needed.

Do we need to be worried?

Scientists “deeply concerned”Mr Javid spoke out about this variant.
Dr Hopskins said: “It is the most worrying [variant] we’ve seen.”

Prof Naismith claimed that, despite the “bad news”It is “not doomsday”The UK has become more adept at controlling the virus.

Francois Balloux is Professor of Computational Systems Biology, Director, UCL Genetics Institute. UCL said: “Scientists and politicians should try to keep a cool head, and I can see no benefit in the UK public being alarmed.”

It is different from all other variations.

The virus has been tracked for only three days. However, it has been found to have 50 different mutations. 30 of these are in spike protein.

That is twice the number of people who have adopted the Delta version, which is now world-famous.

Mutations are changes in the viruses’ genetic makeup that make it behave differently. Sometimes these changes are negligible, while sometimes they can give the virus an advantage.

The mutations have features that are common in all the variants, as well as traits that are not yet known.

It contains mutations K417N and E484A that can be used to avoid vaccines.

It also contains the mutation N501Y, which makes viruses more transmissible. This mutation was previously observed on the fast-spreading Alpha version.

Is it a classified as a “variant of concern”?

Scientists in the UK have not yet confirmed its transmissibility. However, some scientists have indicated that they are concerned.

It is also known as a “variant under monitoring”Scientists believe that it could pose a risk in the future, however, its impact on humans is unknown.

Prof Balloux thinks it could be. “variant of concern”By the end of the week, the WHO will have listed all relevant information.

From where did it come, you ask?

Experts speculate that the variant may have been developed in a chronically ill individual.

This is how the Alpha version, first discovered in Kent at the beginning of 2020, was thought to have evolved.

Professor Ravi Gupta of the University of Cambridge’s clinical microbiology department has stated: “B.1.1.529 has signatures of cumulative mutation indicating that it emerged in a chronic infection.”

When will more information be available?

Scientists in the UK are keen to obtain live virus cultures for closer examination.

However, this can take time and could prove costly. “weeks”Dr Hopkins stated that we need to find out how it affects vaccines before we can make any conclusions.

It takes seven to ten days to develop enough virus to share with other scientists, so that they can study its mutations and changes.

Officials will also need to wait for data from South Africa.

They are expecting evidence to be available within two to three week, but it could take as much as four to six months.

What can the government do to control it?

The Government decided to immediately suspend all flights from South Africa and Namibia to Botswana, Lesotho to Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Botswana to Zimbabwe starting at noon on Friday. The red list will include all six countries.

People from those countries arriving after 4am on Sunday must be quarantined at a government-approved Hotel. They will then need to remain there for 10 days before being allowed to take PCR Covid test.

People must first quarantine at their homes for 10 days and then undergo PCR testing.

Mr Javid claimed: “If anyone has arrived from any of those countries over the last 10 days, we would ask them to take PCR tests.”

Entry to England will be denied to non-UK or Irish citizens who have visited these countries within the last 10 days starting Friday 26th November at 12 noon.

You can read more about travel rules here.

What restrictions are possible in the UK

Brits are well aware of the danger of new variants. It was Christmas last year that the Alpha strain took over festivities.

Prof Adam Finn, a member on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI), spoke to Good Morning Britain. “On the one hand, I don’t want to induce unnecessary anxiety in people, but on the other hand, I think we all need to be ready for the possibility of a change in the restrictions.”

He said that it was impossible to predict how the new variant might impact Christmas plans for Brits.

Asked what the situation would mean for the UK over the coming weeks, Mr Javid said: “We’ve got plans in place, as people know, for the spread of this infection here in the UK and we have contingency plans – the so-called Plan B.

“But today’s announcement, this is about a new variant from South Africa – it’s been detected in South Africa and Botswana – and this is about being cautious and taking action and trying to protect, as best we can, our borders.”