Britain’s mutant variant is a concern as it could undermine vaccines, says scientist

LONDON (Reuters) – The first variant of coronavirus found in the British region of Kent is worrying because it is mutating and could undermine the protection provided by vaccines against the development of COVID-19, said the head of the UK genetic surveillance program.

She also said that the British version was dominant in the country and would probably “sweep the world, in all probability”.

Coronavirus has killed 2.35 million people and turned normal life upside down for billions, but several worrying new variants out of thousands have raised fears that vaccines will need to be modified and people may need booster shots.

Sharon Peacock, director of the UK’s COVID-19 Genomics consortium, said vaccines are so far effective against UK variants, but that the mutations could undermine the fire.

“What is worrying in this regard is that version 1.1.7, which we have been circulating for several weeks and months, is starting to move again and new mutations may appear that could affect the way we manage the virus in terms of immunity and vaccine effectiveness. “Peacock told the BBC.

“It is worrying that 1.1.7, which is more transmissible, which has swept the country, is now moving to have this new mutation that could threaten vaccination.”

This new mutation, first identified in Bristol, in the south-west of England, has been identified as the “Worst Option” by the Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats.

Britain’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, said the Bristol variant has one of the same mutations as the South African. “It’s not surprising that it has happened and will happen elsewhere,” he said on Wednesday.

“By getting this variant, it is less likely to look different from the immune system, so we have to pay attention to it, we have to measure it, we have to keep it on top and we have to keep testing the effects of the vaccine. In this situation.”

There are so far 21 cases of that variant that has the E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, the same change as seen in the South African and Brazilian variants.

“You have to be realistic that this special mutation has occurred in our kind of common garden offspring now, at least five times – five times separately. And so it will continue to appear, “said Peacock.

The British should expect to receive repeated vaccinations against COVID-19 in the future to keep up with the mutations in the virus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

There are three major known variants, which are worrying scientists: the South African variant, known to scientists as 20I / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351; the British variant known as 20I / 501Y.V1 or B.1.1.7; and the Brazilian variant known as P.1.

The British version, which is more infectious but not necessarily more deadly than others, was “likely to sweep the world,” Peacock said.

“Once we get to (the virus) or it moves to not be virulent – causing disease – then we can no longer worry. But I think, looking to the future, we’ll do this for years. In my opinion, we will continue to do this for 10 years. ”

The two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer / BioNTech and AstraZeneca protect against the main British variant.