Scientists continue to be concerned about the new coronavirus variant from Brazil, more than other variants that have emerged across the country.
What is happening?
On Monday, Minnesota Department of Health officials identified the first case of the Brazilian variant – called P.1 – in Minnesota.
- The variant was seen as more transmissible than the current variant, or even those seen in South Africa and the United Kingdom, as I wrote about Deseret News.
Why does it worry scientists?
But scientists are particularly concerned about the Brazilian variant because of how it destroyed Manaus, the Amazon city in Brazil, where the mutation originated.
- “If you were to ask me now, what is the most important of all the things I have heard so far, then it is the fact that they are reporting a sudden increase in cases in Manaus, Brazil,” said virus expert Jeremy Luban of the University said. of Massachusetts, according to NPR. “Manaus has already infected 75% of the people (in the spring of last year).”
According to NPR, scientists have two major fears about the new variant.
- They do not know why it exploded in Brazil.
- The variant has mutations that can evade antibodies and the COVID-19 vaccine, according to NPR.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, an adviser to President Joe Biden on the pandemic, told The New York Times that he was more concerned about the Brazilian variant than the British or South African virus. He suggested that the current vaccines could defeat the mutations. But the Brazilian variant can be trickier.
- “The amount of concern I have between the British variant and the South African / Brazilian is very, very different,” said Dr. Fauci said according to The New York Times.