The UK’s mutant variant is a concern as it could undermine vaccines, says a scientist

LONDON (Reuters) – The coronavirus variant, first found in the UK region of Kent, is of concern as it mutates and thus could undermine vaccine protection against the development of COVID-19, the head of the UK genetic surveillance program said.

She also said that the British variant was dominant in the country and would probably “in all likelihood take over the world.”

The coronavirus has killed 2.35 million people and turned normal life upside down for billions, but a few new worrying variants out of the thousands have raised fears that vaccines need to be modified and that people may need booster shots.

Sharon Peacock, director of the COVID-19 Genomics UK consortium, said vaccines have been effective against the variants in the UK so far, but mutations could potentially undermine the shots.

“What is disturbing about this is that the 1.1.7 variant that we have been circulating for several weeks and months is starting to mutate again and get new mutations that could affect the way we deal with the virus in terms of immunity and effectiveness of vaccines, ”Peacock told the BBC.

“Worryingly, the 1.1.7, which is more transmissible, that has engulfed the country, is now mutating to have this new mutation that could threaten vaccination.”

This new mutation, first identified in Bristol, South West England, has been designated a “Variant of Concern” by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.

Britain’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, said the Bristol variety had one of the same mutations as the South African. “Unsurprisingly, it has happened and it will happen elsewhere,” he said Wednesday.

“Getting that variant is slightly more likely to look different from the immune system, so we have to watch it, we have to measure it, we have to stay on top of it and keep testing the vaccine effects. In this situation.”

There have been 21 cases so far of that variant with the E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, the same change as observed in the South African and Brazilian variants.

“You have to be realistic that this particular mutation has now originated in our kind of community garden line, at least five times – five times separately. And so this will keep popping up, ”Peacock said.

British people should expect repeat vaccinations against COVID-19 in the future to keep up with mutations of the virus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.

There are three known variants of concern to scientists: the South African variant, known to scientists as 20I / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351; the UK variant known as 20I / 501Y.V1 or B.1.1.7; and the Brazilian variant known as P.1.

The British variant, which is more contagious but not necessarily more deadly than others, would likely “take the world by storm,” Peacock said.

“Once we get on top of (the virus) or it mutates itself because it’s virulent and causes disease, then we don’t have to worry about it anymore. But I think if we look into the future, we will be doing this for years. We are still going to do this in 10 years from now. “

The two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer / BioNTech and AstraZeneca protect against the main British variant.