02-02-2021, 15:23
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2021, 15:26 by BouncingHibees.)
Scientist does not think border controls can currently stop new variants in UK - and worries vaccines may not be as effective against new Kent mutation
Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor/clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, is among the scientists to have responded to the mutation of the Kent variant - the so-called E484K mutation - and what it means for the UK.
This is what he had to say: "[It is] a worrying development, though not entirely unexpected.
"This is another reason to follow the COVID-19 restrictions/infection control measures more strictly - otherwise not only can the virus continue to spread, it can also evolve.
"Unfortunately, the lack of control of these different variants in the UK may lead this population to become a melting pot for different emerging SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 variants - so we really need to reduce our contact rates to reduce the opportunities for viral spread/replication to reduce the speed with which these different virus variants can evolve.
"Closing borders/restricting travel may help a little with this, but there is now probably already a sufficient critical mass of virus-infected people within the endemic UK population to allow this natural selection/evolution to proceed - as this report suggests - so we really need to stick to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions as much as possible.
"If this E484K mutation is acquired by most of the UK B.1.1.7 variants - the recent reassurances from recent studies showing that the mRNA vaccines will still offer optimum protection against the original UK variant - may no longer apply."
Sounds as if we maybe have been very premature in the early vaccinations, Westminster is worried as this virus is still mutating rapidly.
Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor/clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, is among the scientists to have responded to the mutation of the Kent variant - the so-called E484K mutation - and what it means for the UK.
This is what he had to say: "[It is] a worrying development, though not entirely unexpected.
"This is another reason to follow the COVID-19 restrictions/infection control measures more strictly - otherwise not only can the virus continue to spread, it can also evolve.
"Unfortunately, the lack of control of these different variants in the UK may lead this population to become a melting pot for different emerging SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 variants - so we really need to reduce our contact rates to reduce the opportunities for viral spread/replication to reduce the speed with which these different virus variants can evolve.
"Closing borders/restricting travel may help a little with this, but there is now probably already a sufficient critical mass of virus-infected people within the endemic UK population to allow this natural selection/evolution to proceed - as this report suggests - so we really need to stick to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions as much as possible.
"If this E484K mutation is acquired by most of the UK B.1.1.7 variants - the recent reassurances from recent studies showing that the mRNA vaccines will still offer optimum protection against the original UK variant - may no longer apply."
Sounds as if we maybe have been very premature in the early vaccinations, Westminster is worried as this virus is still mutating rapidly.