The answers to five key questions about the UK strain of coronavirus

The appearance of the UK variant was confirmed on Saturday. (Photo: Adobe Stock)

The Nation’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation confirmed the first case of the British strain of the coronavirus on Saturday. The finding raises alarms and raises questions. What are the main characteristics of this variant? Viriologists answer five key questions.

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Is it more contagious?

“He has a reach between 50 and 70% of greater transmissibility ”, confirmed at TN.com.ar Mariana Viegas, biochemist, virologist and director of the PAIS project, which detected the appearance of the British and Brazilian variants on the national territory. “What has been observed in in vitro experiments is that this mutation causes the Spike protein (which covers the surface of SARS-CoV-2 and allows it to enter and infect human cells) to adhere more to the receiver. It generates a higher viral load in the upper respiratory tract, which is transmitted from person to person “, he detailed.

According to calculations by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the British variant is between 50 and 74% more contagious.

For Imperial College London, the contagion capacity is between 50 and 75% higher and the reproduction rate (R) is between 0.4 and 0.7 higher than the usual virus.

Is it more deadly or does it generate more serious illness?

“Definitely not. So far this has not been proven. It has no impact on patients’ symptoms or on attack rates at different ages. In other words, it’s exactly the same as any other variant, ”Viegas added.

Does this affect the effectiveness of vaccines?

“Ni. The mutation that is associated with some decrease in neutralization by monoclonal antibodies and some convalescent sera in a very small study, is the 484 mutation, which is found in the South African variant and the Rio variant of Janeiro, ”said the virologist.

In the same way, Mario Lozano placeholder image, Infectologist Conicet, indicated at TN that “the vaccine covers her well.” It does not contain any mutations that would affect the protection offered by the vaccine. There are some concerns about the tension that has arisen in South Africa and Brazil. There is indeed a mutation that could partially modify the protection offered by the vaccine, but it is not yet known.

// What we know and what is not about the new strain of Rio de Janeiro which is already circulating in the country

How should we take care of ourselves?

“The precautions we have learned at such an emotional cost must be reinforced to prevent governments from taking actions that lead to more serious restrictions “Lozano pointed out.

In the same vein, he advised “social bubbles”. “If we go out, let it be always with the same group. And after we leave, let’s keep in touch to see if any of those who attended the meeting developed any symptoms. “

Is it possible to prevent the appearance of new variants?

“Viruses, when transmitted between people, mutate. And these mutations can change the differences or generate greater contagiousness or not ”, summarizes Viegas. For his part, Lozano believes that the best way is to “prevent the spread of the virus ”.

“Viruses can mutate in a single day. However, the most serious problem is when they jump an animal, because in this variation very different strains can appear ”, he added.

The clearest example in 2020 has been seen in Europe with mink. In November, Denmark euthanized 15 million of these animals for a “risk” mutation of the coronavirus. Something similar had happened months before in Holland.