The new form of the virus underwent around 23 mutations, the largest of them in the spike protein, where the H69/V70 deletion occurred, according to the report prepared by the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium. This may be why several Czech patients have been reinfected with COVID-19 despite reports that reinfection is unlikely. In addition, it can potentially explain why the virus spreads faster.
“New variants of coronavirus are appearing independently of each other in several places in the Czech Republic, especially in Prague and the Central Bohemian Region,” said Helena Jiřincová, head of the National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and Non-Influenza Respiratory Viral Diseases, Novinky.cz reports.
While the COVID-19 mutation may seem threatening to you, it is a general phenomenon. All viruses go through a complex process of mutation, but in most cases the formula changes very slightly. COVID-19 has already mutated several times, according to the BBC, it does so up to twice a month.
Potentially, alterations to spike protein might be serious, because the current vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca all code for the spike protein, teaching the immune system to produce antibodies when exposed to a large amount of the virus according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Yet, in this particular case, scientists encourage citizens not to worry.
“The detected mutation means a small change in the spike protein and is unlikely to affect the efficacy of the vaccine,” virologist Pavel Plevka told Prava, reports Novinky. cz. This conclusion was also supported by British and Canadian scientists.
The adjustments have made it less difficult for the virus to spread: Early reports recommend that the new form could be around 70% more contagious. However, the case fatality rate has not increased. The vaccines are still expected to work as originally intended. while teaching the immune formula to attack the beak in multiple places. In general, it takes much more than a few mutations to make such gigantic adjustments to a protein that vaccines are ineffective. And even if that happens, the vaccine brands are ready.
“That’s why we can rejoice in the incredible generation that vaccine manufacturers are using. These are the mRNAs (messenger RNAs) of the vaccine and have the merit of seamlessly replacing the template used to produce the protein. In other words, the manufacturer may temporarily react to other variants of the virus,” said Helena Jiřincová.
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© 2022 The Prague Monitor