As the coronavirus spreads, there are risks of new strains emerging, but there is no evidence yet that existing vaccines will be ineffective against a new virus mutation found in the UK. Professor of Epidemiology at the University of California at San Francisco George Rutherford reported this to Lente.ru.
An expert from the United States emphasized that, according to available data, the mutation of the virus did not affect its virulence, that is, the ability to cause disease and kill organisms. “All viruses mutate, so over time we will discover more and more strains,” Rutherford said.
The epidemiologist noted that it is still difficult to judge whether the imposed restrictions on air travel to the UK and the measures taken by the British government to contain the spread of the new strain will work. At the same time, he explained that the stricter the lockdown, the more likely it is to have a positive effect.
The expert added that the emergence of a new strain is unlikely to increase the number of re-infections with coronavirus, which in itself is a very rare phenomenon. He also pointed out that there is no evidence that mutations affect the effectiveness of existing vaccines. “I believe we have a fair amount of confidence that vaccines will work against this strain as well,” Rutherford said.
In addition to the UK, the mutated virus was found in patients in the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia and Italy. In World Health Organization reported that research is underway to assess the impact of the new coronavirus mutation on the effectiveness of vaccines, as well as its ability to cause more severe disease.
On December 14, UK Health Minister Matthew Hancock reported that a a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 that spreads faster than the original form. The virus is more easily transmitted from person to person and therefore more contagious, he said.