South Africa coronavirus variant: What is the risk?

The government has announced it is to carry out door-to-door testing in parts of England for a new variant of coronavirus originally identified in South Africa.

More than 100 cases of the South Africa variant have been spotted since 22 December. Most are linked to travel, but some may be community cases. It is likely there may be more that haven't been found.

Experts are studying the variant to understand what risk it poses.

What is the new variant?
All viruses, including the one that causes Covid-19, constantly mutate into new versions or variants.

These tiny genetic changes happen as the virus makes new copies of itself to spread and thrive.

Most are inconsequential, and a few can even be harmful to the virus's survival, but some variants can make the virus more infectious or threatening to the host - humans.

There are now many thousands of variants of the pandemic virus circulating. But experts are concerned about the South African variant, or 501.V2.

Is it more dangerous?
There is no evidence that the South Africa variant causes more serious illness for the vast majority of people who become infected.

As with the original version, the risk is highest for people who are elderly or have significant underlying health conditions.

But there are concerns it can spread more readily and vaccines may not work quite as well against it.

Some of the changes involve the virus's spike protein - the part that gains the virus entry into human cells. It is also the bit that vaccines are designed around, which is why experts are concerned about these particular mutations.

What do experts say?
The South African variant carries a mutation, called N501Y, that appears to make it more contagious or easy to spread.

Another mutation, called E484K, could help the virus dodge some attack by a person's immune system and may affect how well coronavirus vaccines work.

It is too soon to say for sure, or by how much, until more tests are completed, although it is extremely unlikely the mutations would render vaccines useless.

What are the new UK travel rules?
When will I get a Covid vaccine?
How do I know the Covid vaccine is safe?
Scientists have tested the Pfizer Covid vaccine against N501Y, using blood samples from 20 people.

In that preliminary study, vaccination appeared to work against the mutated virus.

Early results from Moderna suggest its vaccine is still effective against the South Africa variant, although the immune response may not be as strong or prolonged.

Two new coronavirus vaccines that could be approved soon - one from Novavax and another from Janssen - appear to offer some protection against the variant.

Even in the worst case scenario, vaccines can be redesigned and tweaked to be a better match in a matter or weeks or months, if necessary, say experts.

Scientists seek to understand new variant
How far has it spread?
It is already the dominant virus variant in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa.

At least 20 other countries including Austria, Norway and Japan, have also found cases.

What is the UK doing about it?
Travel is now banned from many countries in southern Africa, as well as Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Targeted testing in the community is also taking place in some parts of England.

Public health authorities and scientists are studying the variant and will share their findings soon.

 

The government has announced it is to carry out door-to-door testing in parts of England for a new variant of coronavirus originally identified in South Africa.

More than 100 cases of the South Africa variant have been spotted since 22 December. Most are linked to travel, but some may be community cases. It is likely there may be more that haven't been found.

Experts are studying the variant to understand what risk it poses.

What is the new variant?
All viruses, including the one that causes Covid-19, constantly mutate into new versions or variants.

These tiny genetic changes happen as the virus makes new copies of itself to spread and thrive.

Most are inconsequential, and a few can even be harmful to the virus's survival, but some variants can make the virus more infectious or threatening to the host - humans.

There are now many thousands of variants of the pandemic virus circulating. But experts are concerned about the South African variant, or 501.V2.

Is it more dangerous?
There is no evidence that the South Africa variant causes more serious illness for the vast majority of people who become infected.

As with the original version, the risk is highest for people who are elderly or have significant underlying health conditions.

But there are concerns it can spread more readily and vaccines may not work quite as well against it.

Some of the changes involve the virus's spike protein - the part that gains the virus entry into human cells. It is also the bit that vaccines are designed around, which is why experts are concerned about these particular mutations.

What do experts say?
The South African variant carries a mutation, called N501Y, that appears to make it more contagious or easy to spread.

Another mutation, called E484K, could help the virus dodge some attack by a person's immune system and may affect how well coronavirus vaccines work.

It is too soon to say for sure, or by how much, until more tests are completed, although it is extremely unlikely the mutations would render vaccines useless.

What are the new UK travel rules?
When will I get a Covid vaccine?
How do I know the Covid vaccine is safe?
Scientists have tested the Pfizer Covid vaccine against N501Y, using blood samples from 20 people.

In that preliminary study, vaccination appeared to work against the mutated virus.

Early results from Moderna suggest its vaccine is still effective against the South Africa variant, although the immune response may not be as strong or prolonged.

Two new coronavirus vaccines that could be approved soon - one from Novavax and another from Janssen - appear to offer some protection against the variant.

Even in the worst case scenario, vaccines can be redesigned and tweaked to be a better match in a matter or weeks or months, if necessary, say experts.

Scientists seek to understand new variant
How far has it spread?
It is already the dominant virus variant in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa.

At least 20 other countries including Austria, Norway and Japan, have also found cases.

What is the UK doing about it?
Travel is now banned from many countries in southern Africa, as well as Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Targeted testing in the community is also taking place in some parts of England.

Public health authorities and scientists are studying the variant and will share their findings soon.

 

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