What We Know So Far About the New Variant of COVID-19 Raising Alarms Globally
new variant of SARS-CoV-2 first reported in South Africa is raising alarms for health officials around the world, leading to fresh travel restrictions amid fears it could be resistant to existing vaccines.
Researchers in South Africa conducting genetic analysis of COVID-19 virus cases determined that a new variant, B.1.1.529, had been found in cases in South Africa, Botswana, and a traveler who had traveled from South Africa to Hong Kong, the country’s health minister announced on Nov. 25. The following day, Belgian health officials reported the first case of the new variant discovered in Europe.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor on COVID-19 to the White House and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. researchers will be speaking with their South African colleagues “to find out scientist to scientist to exactly what is going on.”What makes the variant especially concerning is the number of mutations, up to 30, that South African scientists reported in the spike protein, which is the main target for currently available vaccines and drug therapies.
So far, scientists have said that the existing vaccines continue to protect against severe disease, and the shots have helped to lower hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in areas where coverage is high. But large numbers of people around the world still aren’t vaccinated, either because they can’t access doses, or are hesitant to get immunized.
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