Scientists identify another coronavirus strain in UK

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16 February 2021

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London, Feb 16 (Prensa Latina) British scientists are studying a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which, as well as other mutations already discovered, could diminish the effect of vaccines and increase Covid-19 transmission, The Guardian reported.

The newspaper quoted a report from the University of Edinburgh, which warns that the strain called B1525 has some of the mutations also found in previousy discovered variants in southern England, South Africa and Brazil.

Some of these changes would increases the level of virus transmission and reduce the effect of vaccines, known in the scientific jargon as B-1.1.7 and E484K, respectively.

According to the study, 33 people infected with this variant have been detected, also found in Denmark (35 cases), Nigeria (12), the United States (10), France (5) and Spain (1), among other countries.

We do not know how effectively it could spread; we can assume that the immunity levels offered by vaccines or a previous contagion will be compromised, Professor of Cellular Microbiology from the University of Reading, Simon Clarke, claimed.

However, Jonathan Stoye, an expert with the Francis Crick Institute, considers that the fact that some variants share the same mutations means that the current Covid-19 vaccines will have to be adapted to provide protection against them.

Recent studies indicated that the Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Novavax and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are less effective against the strain identified in South Africa.