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A new strain of COVID-19 has reportedly been spreading in the United Kingdom, raising concerns about virus transmission while the first COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed in the country.
Public Health England has been monitoring the new strain, which is named “VUI – 202012/01,” following an increase in cases in London and Kent.
New COVID Strain Predominantly in South and East of England
On Monday, U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new coronavirus strain has been identified in at least 60 different local authority areas.
The new strain is being detected in areas with high COVID-19 rates. It is not yet clear whether the new strain is responsible for the rise in case numbers in these areas. PHE will reportedly continue to monitor the situation.
More than 1,100 COVID-19 cases that involve the new virus strain had been identified in the U.K. as of 13 Dec., according to Public Health England. The majority of these cases have been identified in the south and east of England.
Detection of this new coronavirus strain is occurring just as the first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine are being distributed and administered around the world. There is currently nothing that suggests the new strain will be resistant to vaccines.
Is the New Coronavirus Strain Cause for Concern?
At this time, scientists are monitoring the new strain, but do not believe there is cause for significant concern.
Viruses are known to mutate. For example, the seasonal influenza virus mutates each year. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the new virus strain causes a more severe illness.
“We know there’s a variant, we know nothing about what that means biologically,” University of Birmingham Professor Alan McNally said. “It is far too early to make any inference on how important this may or may not be.”
BBC News reports that there are two notable sets of mutation, both of which are found in the spike protein. The spike protein provides the access point that allows the virus to enter a body’s cells and hijack them.
Mutation N501 alters the part of the spike that makes the first contact with a cell. This type of mutation has the potential to make it easier for the virus to enter the cell.
The other mutation involves a H69/V70 deletion that has already been detected in other cases, including in infected mink. This mutation is concerning because it has been shown that antibodies in the blood of individuals who had previously recovered from COVID-19 were not as successful at fighting the mutated strain.
Susan Hopkins, a PHE medical advisor, notes that it is “not unexpected that the virus should evolve and it’s important that we spot any changes quickly to understand the potential risk.”
Other variants of COVID-19 have already been observed elsewhere around the world, including Spain. Hopkins says the new strain “is being detected in a wide geography, especially when there are increased cases being detected.”
The three leading COVID-19 vaccines, made by Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford, all train the immune system to attack the spike protein, so health officials are currently reassured that the vaccines will be effective against the new strain.
Nine Cases of New Coronavirus Strain Reported in Scotland
BBC News has reported that nine cases involving the new COVID-19 strain have been identified in Scotland. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the cases and urged people to not “prematurely overreact” to the situation.
“And while the initial analysis of it suggests that it may be more transmissible, with a faster growth rate than existing variants, that is not yet certain,” Sturgeon told MSPs regarding the new coronavirus strain.
“It may instead be the case that it has been identified in areas where the virus is already spreading more rapidly.”
U.K. Was First to Authorize COVID-19 Vaccine
Earlier this month, the United Kingdom was the first country to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech. British regulators granted emergency authorization for its use, and the first jabs were administered last week.
The U.K. government also granted Pfizer legal indemnity to protect the vaccine manufacturer from potential civil lawsuits related to the new COVID-19 vaccine. This means that a patient in the UK who receives the COVID-19 vaccine and experiences side effects will be unable to sue Pfizer for damages.
Are you concerned that a new coronavirus strain is spreading in the U.K.? Why or why not? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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