US officials urged calm and continued caution on Sunday after identifying a new species of Covid-19 in the UK
Researchers in the UK estimate that the variant could be as much as 70% more transmissible than more established strains. Some of the changes involve the spike protein on the surface of the virus, which may make it more likely to cling to and enter human cells. Scientists don’t believe it is more deadly.
The new species was first discovered in England in September and was identified last week. The European Centers for Disease Control said on Sunday that some cases of the new strain had been reported in Denmark, the Netherlands, and possibly Belgium. A similar mutation has appeared in South Africa, scientists said.
Moncef Slaoui, the chief science adviser for Operation Warp Speed, the US government’s coronavirus response program, said in CNN’s State of the Union that health officials do not know if the new species is already in the US, but they are closely monitoring the holes it.
He noted that viruses often mutate and that RNA viruses such as the coronavirus are particularly susceptible to changes. However, the protein cannot mutate very much, so the mutations are unlikely to affect vaccine efficacy.
“Until now there has not been any variant that would be resistant to the vaccine,” said Dr. Slaoui.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Operation Warp Speed’s chief adviser, said health officials are keeping an eye on the new species.
Photo:
Evan Vucci / Associated Press
US surgeon general Jerome Adams said on Sunday that the mutation does not mean the virus is more dangerous.
“We don’t even know if it is really more contagious or not, or if it just happened to be some species involved in a super-spreader event,” said Dr. Adams. He said on CBS News ‘Face the Nation’ there was no evidence it would affect efforts to vaccinate people.
Some countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, rushed to ban travel from the UK after it announced new shutdowns on Saturday. Top US official who oversaw coronavirus testing said he did not envision a swift US ban on UK travel
“I really don’t think we need to do that anymore,” said Adm. Brett Giroir on ABC News “This Week.” “We haven’t seen any [virus] mutation, which would make it avoid the vaccine. “
The US State Department recommends travelers reconsider a visit to the UK, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against going there.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, speaking with reporters Sunday, denounced US health officials for not taking a stronger stance against travel in the UK, saying the US should consider or, at the very least, demand a ban on flights that travelers are tested for the virus. He called it a repeat of the spring when flights from China were stopped before flights from Europe.
“Other people ban people coming from the UK; we have six flights a day from the UK and we do absolutely nothing, ”said Mr Cuomo, a Democrat. “Today that variant gets on the plane and lands at JFK. How often do you have to make the same mistake in life? “
The governor said the possibility that the new virus is already there “kept me awake last night.”
Erica Pan, California’s acting health director, said the state is seeking more information about the new species, including why British scientists think it is more transmissible, but called that a concern.
Dr. Pan said the California system for tracking the genome sequencing of Covid-19 cases has not seen any evidence from the British strain there, but if people continue to travel, it could arrive at any time. She said it’s important not only not to travel to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but to keep new species localized.
“It’s just another point of this virus that keeps us all on our toes,” said Dr. Pan.
Aides to President-elect Joe Biden said his team would be briefed on the tribe early in the week. Mr. Biden’s public health adviser and his choice of surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the tax “does not change what we do in terms of precautions,” adding that wearing masks, keeping physical distance and washing hands “are still the pillars to prevent Covid’s transfer.”
Viruses constantly mutate as they multiply and spread. Many variations do not result in functional changes, although sometimes one or more changes can affect the infectivity or severity of a virus.
It’s challenging to distinguish whether a specific variant is more common due to circumstances or something functional that makes it more virulent, scientists say.
“If it were just a random mutation that was on the rise, I would rely on epidemiological conditions,” said Trevor Bedford, associate professor in the vaccines and infectious diseases division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
But because the new strain has some changes in the spike protein that could affect its function, “we’re more concerned that something real is going on,” says Dr. Bedford, who is a co-developer of Nextstrain, an open source project. that analyzes and tracks the genomes of pathogens, including the novel coronavirus.
There is currently no evidence that these changes could dampen the impact of the Covid-19 vaccines being rolled out.
A Moderna spokesperson said that as the studies continue, the data so far indicates the vaccine is likely to work on the UK variant.
Pfizer Inc.
and BioNTech SE are tracking mutations in the coronavirus and are working to generate data on how well serum samples from people treated with their vaccine can neutralize the new strain, a Pfizer spokeswoman said in an email.
—Brianna Abbott contributed to this article.
Write to Ken Thomas at [email protected] and Elizabeth Findell at [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8