New Covid-19 Variants discovered in the UK and South Africa

[Philosopher]

As I suspect many of you know there are two new variants of Covid-19 that both have a high number of mutations compared to normal variants and have been causing a lot of concern for scientists and governments. 

The variant discovered in the UK scientists say is likely to be more transmissible and is thought to be behind cases increasing in London and Kent (the county just southeast of London) since late November, despite an England wide lockdown throughout November. It does not seem to cause more serious illness though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VOC-202012/01

Quote

Variant of Concern 202012/01 (VOC-202012/01), previously known as the first Variant Under Investigation in December 2020 (VUI – 202012/01) and also as lineage B.1.1.7, is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The variant was first detected in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom from a sample taken the previous month, and it quickly began to spread by mid-December. It is correlated with a significant increase in the rate of COVID-19 infection in United Kingdom; this increase is thought to be at least partly because of change N501Y inside the spike glycoprotein's receptor-binding domain, which is needed for binding to ACE2 in human cells.

The variant discovered in South Africa is also believed to more transmissible. More worrying there is some evidence that it is causing more serious illness in the young, though this has not been proven: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501.V2_Variant

Quote

Researchers and officials reported that the prevalence of the variant was higher among young people with no underlying health conditions, and by comparison with other variants it is more frequently resulting in serious illness in those cases. The South African health department also indicated that the variant may be driving the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country due to the variant spreading at a more rapid pace than other earlier variants of the virus.

Scientists noted that the variant contains several mutations that allows it to attach more easily to human cells because of following three mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the spike glycoprotein of the virus: N501Y (a change from asparagine (N) to tyrosine(Y) in amino-acid position 501), K417N, and E484K. The N501Y mutation has also been detected in the United Kingdom.

Both variants do not appear to affect vaccination effectiveness. Do people here think the concerns about these new variants are justified, or are they overblown?

[Ellener]

40 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

Do people here think the concerns about these new variants are justified, or are they overblown?

How can we know? The situation is still unfolding. Viruses have never been studied in such close depth as they mutate. 

[Wiseman2]

After what the world has been through with covid, no amount of research or caution/concern or preventative measures seem overblown.

While it's not yet known the precise impact of these variants, throwing caution to the wind after immeasurable pain, suffering and deaths doesn't seem too smart.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Wiseman2

[elaine567]

3 hours ago, Philosopher said:

Do people here think the concerns about these new variants are justified, or are they overblown?

Until we KNOW more about these variants, then how can the concerns possibly be seen as overblown. 
Increased transmissability and  causing severe disease in the young and healthy are not things to be ignored.
Unfortunately much as we would like to put our fingers in our ears and go La La la, that is not going to make one iota of difference to the course of the pandemic. The virus does not care about our emotional well being.
It will continue to do its own thing regardless.
We need to face each new challenge as it comes along, not seek to minimise and rubbish to make ourselves feel better...
 

[Foxhall]

Id say throughout Europe anyway we face three months of hard lockdown, January, February and March ,

with perhaps a gradual return to normal from April,

Heres hoping at least.

[Philosopher]

2 hours ago, Foxhall said:

Id say throughout Europe anyway we face three months of hard lockdown, January, February and March ,

with perhaps a gradual return to normal from April,

Heres hoping at least.

Yes, I am hoping from April things will return to something more normal. Even with the new more transmissible variant in the U.K. vaccines by April should be starting to a have a significant impact in reducing cases and deaths by then.

[Prudence V]

On 12/24/2020 at 9:58 AM, Philosopher said:

Do people here think the concerns about these new variants are justified, or are they overblown?

The president had tears in his eyes when he announced another lockdown. In the past week alone, I’ve had notifications of more than a dozen deaths of people I know. And people are complaining because their holiday has been spoiled. 🤬 

In these times, I don’t think concerns (about the virus) can be overblown. 

[dangerous]

On 12/30/2020 at 9:25 AM, Prudence V said:

The president had tears in his eyes when he announced another lockdown. In the past week alone, I’ve had notifications of more than a dozen deaths of people I know. And people are complaining because their holiday has been spoiled. 🤬 

In these times, I don’t think concerns (about the virus) can be overblown. 

A politician with tears in his eyes? As you Americans say "go figure"...

[elaine567]

Quote

The coronavirus variant currently circulating in South Africa could be resistant to the vaccine, a leading expert has suggested, but cautioned it could take just six weeks to develop a new jab if needed.
Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, said his “gut feeling” was that the vaccines already on stream would be effective against the new UK strain, which was first identified in Kent.
But he said: “I don't know about the South African strain, I think that's a big question mark.”
...Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said on December 23 that two cases of the South African strain had been identified in the UK.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/03/south-african-variant-could-resistant-vaccine-expert-suggests/

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by elaine567
spacing

[Wiseman2]

On 12/30/2020 at 4:25 AM, Prudence V said:

In these times, I don’t think concerns (about the virus) can be overblown. 

Agree. Unfortunately as expected, this new strain is cropping up everywhere.

[Prudence V]

17 hours ago, dangerous said:

A politician with tears in his eyes? As you Americans say "go figure"...

I’m not American, and neither is the President I referred to. Not everywhere goes in for the theatrics of US politics. Some people are real.