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Amid the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, health officials have warned that a new strain of the virus – linked to several large local outbreaks – is spreading in Santa Clara County. Many wonder what this means for the vaccine and its effectiveness against the new strain
And will scientists have to make different vaccines? Experts say, maybe. But they urge residents to continue getting vaccinated with available vaccines, as the “native” or original strain is still a threat.
A closer look at the new variety
The variant known as L452R has been circulating in California counties since November. It is believed to represent a quarter of the COVID-19 cases studied by local scientists.
It has also been detected in Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Francisco, San Bernardino, San Diego and San Luis Obispo counties.
Dr Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he thought the new strain of COVID was “stickier”. He said it’s probably more contagious, which means a person is more likely to catch it from someone with COVID-19.
“We don’t think it makes you sicker any more, but it does mean more people will get the disease, or at least get infected with the disease,” he said. It is still not clear to what extent a person will be sick compared to the original strain.
Dr. Charles Chiu, a virologist and professor of laboratory medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, alluded to concerns about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine against the variant during a call last week. “The data is preliminary, but it fundamentally raises concerns that there is an impact on the vaccine,” he said.
As the virus changes “a lot”, Benjamin said the changes are not yet substantial enough to escape the current vaccine. However, a recent study on an African variant suggests that new strains may be able to bypass the immune response and escape the vaccine.
Another enemy
Biochemist Mark Schwartz said the new Santa Clara County variant does not replace the original COVID-19 virus, but adds another enemy to the mix. The new strain results from a mutation in the genetic code of the virus – which helps the virus survive and thrive.
This is not an unusual phenomenon.
“All viruses mutate. It is a mechanism of selection and survival. The virus mutated like everything by chance, ”said Schwartz. “Those who survive better than the rest become the ‘mutated strain’.”
He said a new variant means a virus has taken on a new property – such as being more deadly, less deadly, more infectious, or more airborne.
“These strains have been shown to spread very quickly – faster than the native coronavirus,” Schwartz said. “They might have the potential to mutate into something more deadly. I don’t think it’s a cause for panic, but it’s something we need to pay attention to.
Schwartz said scientists are still struggling to identify and prevent new strains of the flu.
According to data from the Centers of Disease Control from 2009 to 2020, influenza vaccines are between 20 and 60 percent effective. In 2020, the CDC found the vaccine to be 39% effective.
“The reason we get a new flu shot every year is because the virus changes enough that the vaccine we got the year before isn’t as effective,” Benjamin said. “Some years it changes so much that it’s not effective at all.”
Every year, scientists modify influenza vaccines to accommodate the new strains. They first cultivate the virus in a chicken egg. Then they extract it, kill it, and inject the dead virus into the body to create an immune response. But monitoring new strains and cultivating them takes time, according to Schwartz.
Scientists don’t have time to use this method given the speed at which COVID-19 spreads, so they have turned to a different technology to fight COVID-19: mRNA vaccines.
While the influenza vaccine contains the whole virus, the COVID-19 vaccine contains only genetic material of the virus called mRNA.
Benjamin said the research on mRNA was primarily focused on killing cancer cells and vaccinating against cancer.
“The mRNA technology is amazing,” Benjamin said. “It’s actually compared to the technology we use to make flu shots. I think it’s going to be very effective. He said the mRNA method will allow for quick adjustments if scientists need to create another vaccine to fight new strains.
How effective is the current vaccine?
If an individual receives the first round of a COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine is about 50% effective for 7 to 10 days, Benjamin said. Individuals should receive a second injection 7-10 days later, which increases the effectiveness to almost 97%. The vaccine will be fully effective 7 to 10 days after the second injection.
The CDC says receiving the vaccine will not make an individual sick with COVID-19, although there is a risk of allergic reactions caused by an overly sensitive immune response.
Last week, Santa Clara County discontinued use of one batch of the vaccine, Moderna Lot 41L20A, due to its potential to cause allergic reactions. Three days later, health officials resumed distribution of the previously suspended batch.
The CDC recommends observing patients for 15 to 30 minutes after vaccination.
For more information on vaccination, read the San José Spotlight COVD-19 Vaccine Guide.
Contact Carly Wipf at [email protected] or follow @CarlyChristineW on Twitter.
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