Two new coronavirus mutations have been discovered in the UK, one of which is of concern to scientists. It is reported by Sky News.
This is a SARS-CoV-2 strain found in Bristol. It has the same infectivity as a common pathogen, however, it is likely that this mutation allows it to resist immunity. “This means that it is possible that the virus can resist the action of the vaccine to some extent,” the experts explained.
Another variant of the coronavirus was recorded in Liverpool. It is currently under research. Nevertheless, scientists point out that variants of both viruses are similar to the strain from South Africa, although they are not related to it.
On February 7, it became known that the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine, developed by the British pharmacological company AstraZeneca in conjunction with the University of Oxford, was low from the COVID-19 strain found in South Africa. The South African authorities have suspended the implementation of a plan to vaccinate the population with the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern about this data.
A new mutation of the coronavirus was first discovered in the UK in September 2020, but it began to spread actively in December. The changes affected the area of the spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus, which is responsible for attachment to cells located in the mucous membrane of the lungs and a number of other organs. To date, the British strain has been found in more than 60 countries.
