UK variant of coronavirus “will sweep the world in all likelihood,” UK expert says

Coronavirus variant first found in UK Kent region of concern as it could undermine vaccine protection against COVID-19 diseasesaid the head of the UK genetic surveillance program, Sharon peacock.

Kent’s variant “is going to sweep the world in all likelihood”, declared to the BBC Peacock, which serves as COVID-19 Genomics UK consortium director.

Coronavirus killed 2.35 million people and affected normal life, but the newer variants have raised concerns that vaccines need to be adjusted and people need to step up inoculation.

Peacock noted that vaccines so far effective against variants in the UK, but these mutations could adversely affect vaccination results.

“What is worrying about this is this variant 1.1.7. that we have circulated starts to mutate again and get new mutations that could affect the way we deal with the virus in terms of immunity and vaccine effectiveness. “Peacock told the BBC.

This new mutation, first identified in Bristol in the south-west of England, has been named as “Disturbing variant”, by the Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats.

So far there is 21 cases of this variant which has the E484K mutation, which occurs in the peak protein of the virus, the same change that was seen in the South African and Brazilian variants.

There are three main known variants that worry scientists: the South African, known to scientists as 20I / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351; the British or Kentish, officially 20I / 501Y.V1 or B.1.1.7; and the brazilian, called P.1.

The two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer / BioNTech Yes AstraZeneca They protect against the main British variant.

“Once we’ve got the virus under control or it’s mutated to stop being virulent, that is, to cause disease, we can stop worrying about it. But I believe that looking forward to it, we will continue to do so for years to come. In my opinion, we will continue to do this for 10 years», He concluded.

(With information from Reuters)

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