Covid-19 a new mutation
The United Kingdom being cut off from the rest of the world is what is beginning to happen after the discovery of a new variant of the Covid-19 on its territory. France, Germany, Italy and many other European countries, as well as countries in Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria among others), Asia and America have cut air links with the United Kingdom [1]. These restrictions mainly concern passengers. Their duration can vary from 24 hours with the possibility of extension to several weeks; the time to observe the evolution of the situation. France, for example, reopened the borders after 24 hours. However not all citizen are alowed to enter the counrty, only those from France and of the EU. Heavy goods vehicles are allowed to cross the border if the driver provides a negative Covid-19 test, and this one has to be dated of less than three days.
The coronavirus, like any virus, mutates constantly, but this does not mean that any mutation is more dangerous for humans or that it will affect tests or vaccines. Despite this, one problem remains: this mutation concerns the Spike protein which is on the surface of the virus and allows it to attach to human cells. According to Boris Johnson, this variant would make the virus 70% more contagious, which is confirmed by a higher number of cases in the south of the UK [1]. However, the scientists qualify this statement: this figure is really coming fast, and this region was partly spared by the first wave. The virus can therefore spread more quickly due to low group immunity [1].
In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) explains that other countries are already affected by this new variant of Covid-19: there are nine cases in Denmark, one in the Netherlands, as well as in Italy, Australia and South Africa. Other countries, such as France (the first case was detected on the 21st of December) and Switzerland, believe that this variant may already be on their territory [2]. On the 28th of December, a lot of countries such as Spain, South Korea, Canada and Japan have detected the new variant of Covid-19.
This mutation is much more talked about because it concerns the Spike protein: vaccines use it to make the immune system recognize the coronavirus. So, if this protein changes, vaccines can become ineffective. This is not what Emma Hodcroft, an epidemiologist at the University of Bern, explains: a large number of parts of this protein have to change so that our immune system can no longer recognize it [1]. The WHO and the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC) confirm that the vaccine is therefore not in danger but believe that further tests are needed to be certain [1]. In addition, the coronavirus family, and not only the Covid-19, are rather stable with few mutations thanks to their error-correction system [4]. This variant of Covid-19 has already been present since March 2020 and causes a higher viral load in the respiratory tract (more virus is detected) but without leading to more severe cases, so there is no higher hospitalization rate [4]. Of course, this is only one study and more would be needed to confirm the preliminary results.
As for the tests, most of them are not or not only based on the protein in question, and the European agency advises not to rely only on the protein in question. Then this is not a problem, this mutation is not going to cause a lower detection of cases of Covid-19. And political actions still can be helped with the number of Covid-19 cases.
References:
[1] AFP
[2] RTS info Pandémie de coronavirus : https://www.rts.ch/info/11840267-a-geneve-les-restaurants-et-les-etablissements-de-loisirs-seront-fermes-des-jeudi.html
[3] Le Monde, fonctionnement des vaccins : https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2020/12/04/comment-fonctionnent-les-futurs-vaccins-contre-le-covid-19_6062151_4355770.html
[4] Revmed, mutation de la protéine Spike : https://www.revmed.ch/RMS/2020/RMS-N-701/Mutation-dans-la-proteine-Spike-de-SARS-CoV-2
[5] All images are from: https://pixabay.com/fr/
