European countries are banning British passengers in an effort to contain a new mutation, which is 70 percent more contagious and tearing through London.
Viruses are constantly changing. Seasonal flu mutates every year, so it came as no surprise to scientists that variants of COVID-19 have been discovered since the start of the pandemic.
But in recent days, concerns have grown about a new species identified in the UK.
Vaccines should still be effective against it, and the new strain isn’t considered more deadly, but people are increasingly concerned because this mutation appears to be 70 percent more contagious.
The new variant, which has been named VUI-202012/01 (the first variant to be examined in December 2020), is said to have taken place for the first time in mid-September in the southeast of the country, in the capital London or the county of Kent.
Susan Hopkins of Public Health England said the agency notified the government on Dec. 18 when models revealed the full severity of the new species. The UK submitted its findings to the World Health Organization the same day.
Since then, it has spread rapidly in the Southeast, becoming the dominant form of the virus there.
In London, 62 percent of the cases were due to the new variant in the week of December 9. That is compared to 28 percent three weeks earlier.
Faced with this rapid development, the UK government has introduced tougher lockdown measures over the coming Christmas period.
Previously, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had committed to bringing people together for festivities. But under mounting criticism and on the advice of its scientific advisers, many Britons are now banned from mixing households until at least the end of December, when the new measures will be reviewed.
Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said the new variant may be found in other countries, but may have started in the UK.
The Netherlands and Belgium responded quickly, banning travelers from the UK to prevent the new species from spreading.
Dutch authorities said they had found at least one case of the new strain and flights with British passengers have been banned until January 1. Belgium is suspending the arrivals of flights and trains from the UK for at least 24 hours, according to Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who spoke to the Belgian television channel VRT.
According to Chris Whitty, UL’s Chief Medical Officer, current swab tests can identify the new variant.
Scientists say the new strain contains 23 changes, many of which are related to changes in a protein made by the virus.
UK Health Minister Matt Hancock has suggested that the new lockdown measures may remain in effect for some time.
“Given how much faster this new variant spreads, it will be very difficult to control until we roll out the vaccine,” said Hancock.
Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter that cases of the mutated species were lower in Scotland “than in the rest of the UK,” but warned that “preventive measures may be needed to prevent the more rapidly spreading species. holds. “
More than 67,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the UK to date, making it one of the most affected people in Europe along with Italy.