Scientists are not surprised to see how the coronavirus changes and develops – after all, that is what viruses do. And with so much uncontrolled spread across the US and other parts of the world, the virus is getting ample opportunity to do so.
Four of the new variants are of particular concern.
“The variants that have been identified recently seem to spread more easily. They are more transmissible, which can lead to an increase in the number of cases, and increased stress on our system that is already overburdened,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the newly appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an information session on Wednesday.
What scientists fear most is that one will mutate to the point that it causes serious diseases, the ability of tests to detect it, bypass it or evade the protection afforded by vaccination. Although some of the new variant changes appear to appear to affect the immune response, it is only a matter of degree.
Governments are already responding. Colombia banned flights from Brazil, and Brazil banned flights from South Africa. It is almost too late to stop the spread, and there is an indication that the mutations in these variants occur independently and in several places.
Here’s what’s known about the top four.
B.1.1.7
At the top of the list for researchers in the US is the B.1.1.7 variant first seen in Britain. The CDC has warned that it could exacerbate the spread of the pandemic. More than 300 cases are reported in 28 states – but these are only the cases caught by genomic sequence, which are hit and miss in the US.
Although people may be scared about people with new mutant viruses, scientists say they are reassured by what they have found: the human immune system can handle the variants that have emerged so far, especially B.1.1.7.
“As far as we know, it’s transmitted in exactly the same way,” Gregory Armstrong, who runs the Advanced Molecular Detection Office at CDC, told CNN.
This means that the same measures that are already known to reduce distribution will also stop the new variants: mask use, social distance, avoid large groups or crowds and frequent hand washing.
However, the mutations in the variant help make it easier to enter cells – which means that if someone inhales a lungful of air that contains virus particles, the particles will be more likely to infect cells in the sinuses. or lungs rather than bouncing harmlessly. The worrying changes increase the peak protein that the virus uses to attach to cells, meaning people are more likely to become infected through exposure.
People should therefore try harder to prevent spread until the vaccination can be accelerated.
“To interrupt the transfer, we will need higher rates to delay the transfer,” Armstrong said. “We will have to pay more attention to wearing masks. And we need to increase vaccine coverage.”
There have been some confusing reports as to whether B.1.1.7 caused serious illness in Britain.
“The most recent data from the UK indicate that it appears to be a bit more virulent in the sense that it could potentially cause serious illness,” The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Anthony Fauci, said on Thursday in a webcast sponsored by the National Education Association.
B.1.351
variant first seen in South Africa, called B.1.351 or 501Y.V2, was reported in South Carolina in the USA on Thursday.
The two people lived in different parts of the state and neither of them traveled recently, although dr. Brannon Traxler, the interim director of public health, declined to say whether this suggests the variant should spread in the community.
According to the World Health Organization, it has been seen in more than 30 other countries.
“The variant that was first detected in South Africa has spread far beyond Africa, and what keeps me awake at night now is that it probably spreads in a number of African countries,” said dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Africa’s regional director of the WHO, said on Thursday.
It has a different pattern of mutations that cause more physical changes in the structure of the vein protein than B.1.1.7 does. One important mutation, called E484K, appears to affect the receptor binding domain – the part of the ear protein that is most important for attachment to cells.
This can help the virus to partially escape the effects of vaccines. “There’s more concern about immune flight,” Armstrong said. Vaccinators and academic researchers are testing samples of this variant, along with others, to see if it can evade the immune response caused by vaccination.
Fauci says though, there is an extra cushion of immunity caused by vaccination. It gives a little wrap space. “The good news is that the vaccines as they exist now will still be effective against the mutants. The sobering news … as you get more and more replication, you can get more and more evolution of mutants, which means that you always have to be one step ahead of it, “Fauci told CNN on Monday.
“There are definitely a variety of antibodies that can neutralize the virus. These kinds of things in plasma are probably resistant to the emerging mutations,” says Dr. Michel Nussenzweig of Rockefeller University, who tested different mutations. against the blood of people who have been vaccinated.
Teams at Columbia University, the Aaron Diamond Aids Research Center at Columbia University and elsewhere have also tested laboratory versions of the virus mutations against vaccinated blood, saying that although it appears to have a slightly reduced effect of vaccination, not enough to weaken the protection.
Just in case, Pfizer and Moderna are working on making booster vaccines that will address mutant versions. The design of the vaccines is meant to make it a quick and easy process – just filling in a new version of the genetic code used to generate the vaccines will do just that.
There is also evidence that the changes may help escape monoclonal antibody treatments also done by Eli Lilly and Co and Regeneron.
P.1
A variant that allegedly fueled a revival of viral spread in Brazil appeared in Minnesota for the first time this week. It was with a traveler from Brazil, so there is still no indication of distribution of the community.
This variant, called P.1, was found in 42% of the samples in one survey conducted in the Brazilian city of Manaus, and Japanese officials found the variant in four travelers from Brazil.
“The emergence of this variant raises concerns about the possible increase in transmissibility or propensity for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection of individuals,” the CDC said. P.1 also contains the E484K mutation.
L425R
Finally, there is a new variant in California, as well as a dozen other states. “We still do not know what that means,” Armstrong said. It also has a mutation in the receptor binding domain of the vein protein. It is called L425R and although it is common, it is not yet clear if it is more transmissible.
Any virus strain may be more prevalent due to the known effect. “The founding effect is a matter of a virus being in the right place at the right time,” Armstrong said. If a particular voltage accidentally circulates when transmission increases due to human behavior, the voltage will travel along and occur more, not because it spreads more easily, but simply because it was there.
It will require more research to show whether these variants can increase the already astronomical spread of the virus. The U.S. has more than 25 million diagnosed cases and more than 430,000 deaths.
“The emergence of variants underscores the need for public health action,” Walensky advised.
“First, you need to be vaccinated if it’s your turn. Some people also need help getting vaccinated. Consider helping your neighbors and loved ones plan or travel their appointments. Second, wear a mask. Practice socializing distance and wash your hands. And finally, now is not the time to travel. “