London, United Kingdom.
The British health authorities started on Monday frantic search of a person infective with variant of Manaus (Brazil) of coronavirus, faced with the concern that vaccines don’t be like that effective against that strain.
According to Health, andI’m an unidentified person did not complete the location log when tested covid-19 in February last year, so it is not known where it is, which caused a operative search massive across the country.
That’s why Healthcare asks who didn’t get the result test covid-19 on February 12 or 13, let him put in contact with the authorities.
This variant, known as P1, was first detected in people who traveled to Japan since Manaus andIn January last year.
British Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi told Sky today that the strain is similar to that of found in South Africa, for what he fears be more contagiousyes “is from concern “after the scourge suffered by the country by the British version.
The government indicated that they had already communicated to World Health Organization (WHO) about the finding in United Kingdom din these cases of Manaus’ version.
The British executive vetoeds flights from dand more countries in South America, Portugal and South Africa, as a way to contain the spread of these new variants which can influence the process of vaccination.
There are already three variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus possibly more contagious concerning the international community at a time when it is trying to reduce the pandemic with vaccination campaigns. Here is what is known:
What are these options?
All mutant virus, that is it amend when he replies.
SARS-CoV-2 It has undergone many variations since its appearance, but in general they had no consequences. some Change However, they can promote their survival, for example, if they touch one greater contagion.
The variant B.1.1.7, now called VOC 202012/01, was detected in November to UK, after it “probably” developed in September in the southeast England, according to Imperial College London.
After the rapid spread in that country, this variant was detected in dozens of other countries, from US to South Korea, passing through India, France and Denmark.
Most cases were imported from UK but some do not have a proven relationship with that country, as is the case Denmark.
variant 501.V2, now the majority isn South Africa, fIt was detected there in October and was located in other countries, such as Great Britain and France.
According to experts, the number of cases of both variants is underestimated.
Both have several mutations, one of which, N501Y, affects proteins coronavirus spike, a tip that serves for stick to the ACE2 receptor dhuman cells and penetrate them.
This mutation increases abilities adhesion of the virus to the ACE2 receptor. And, although “there is no clearly established relationship between accession to ACE2 and a higher transmission, this may exist “, according to the European Center for Prevention and Disease control (ECDC).
Several scientific studies, mainly based on modeling and not yet evaluated by other experts in accordance with the Scientific Protocol, conclude that the British version it is much more transmissible, This is confirmed by the initial assessment of the NERVTAG research group, which advises the British government and estimated the difference between + 50% and + 70%.
Thus, according to the calculations of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the British version would be between 50-74% more contagious.
For Imperial College London the ability to the contagion is between 50-75% higher and the reproduction rate (R) is between 0.4 and 0.7 higher than the usual virus.
Preliminary findings on the South African variant also reveal a higher transmission, but less data is available.
However, these results are based on epidemiological observations, like the explosion epidemic in England, but other factors may arise to explain this situation, such as application preventive measures.
“It seems that one or two mutations are responsible for one greater contagion, but this has not yet been verified “scientifically, which may take some time,” explains Vincent Enouf of the National Reference Center for Respiratory viruses from the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
Countries like Germany, Belgium and Mexico attributed to these variants the explosion of cases during the second pandemic wave in Europe and North America.
The chief epidemiologist of the United States, Anthony Fauci, pointed out last month that according to data published by the United Kingdom Government, it should be assumed that the British version it can “cause more harm, including death “.
“We must now assume that what circulates predominantly in UK has a certain degree of growth in what we call it virulence, that is, his power the harmful virus, including death”, said the expert. The risk “is high in terms of hospitalizations and deaths,” he added.
And it is that “greater contagion ultimately equates to a much stronger incidence and therefore more pressure on the health system although lethality (of the variants) is the same, “according to Coignard.
A SARS-CoV-2 variant that was “50% more transmissible would be more of a problem than a 50% more deadly version “, indicates on Twitter the British epidemiologist Adam Kucharski, using a statistical demonstration: with a reproduction rate of 1.1, a Mortality rate of 0.8% and 10,000 people infected, after a month there would be 129 deaths. But if the contagion rate increased by 50%, the number of deaths would be would amount to 978.
On the other hand, the first studies on the British version They indicate what it is more contagious between young people under the 20 years longer than the usual strain.
Do they affect the effectiveness of vaccines?
“At the moment we do not have enough information to say” that these variants present “a risk for vaccine efficacy “, ECDC estimates.
With the data available, “experts believe that current vaccines will be effective against them STRAINS“Henry Walke of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States said Wednesday.
In turn, BioNTech / Pfizer, who developed the first vaccine against covid19, They assured Friday that this is effective against mutatia N501Y common to the British and South African variants and are already preparing a the third dose to strengthen protection.
But the study did not look at all present mutations, with which it cannot be concluded that the efficacy of the vaccine is the same as that against classic virus.
In fact, a specific mutation in The South African variant raises more questions than the rest.
Call E484K, this mutation could theoretically “helps “the virus to “Bypassing the immune protection gained from a previous infection or vaccination,” according to Dr. François Balloux of University College London, quoted by the British organization Science Media Center.
However, there is currently no indication that this mutation is sufficient for the variant South African resistant to current vaccines, saccording to Balloux.
Several laboratories have assured that they will be able to provide new versions of the vaccine quickly, if necessary.
How to deal with variants?
Lack of power to prevent itthe spread of these variants, The goal is “Delay it” to the maximum, according to Coignard.
ECDC recommends that affected countries take measures similar to those at the beginning of the pandemic, such as limiting travel and testing people in high-risk areas. It also calls for control of their incidence variant, multiplying the sequencing of viruses.
Some PCR tests may also suggest the presence The British version.
At the individual level, “we need to be even more rigorous with preventive measures “, according to Dr. Walke, referring to hand washing, wearing masks, and so on.