Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!
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Seems like may get more info on the strain tomorrow
In a press conference on Saturday, chief science advisor Patrick Vallance said that B.1.1.7, which first appeared in a virus isolated on 20 September, accounted for about 26% of cases in mid-November. “By the week commencing the 9th of December, these figures were much higher,” he said. “So, in London, over 60% of all the cases were the new variant.” Boris Johnson added that the slew of mutations may have increased the virus’s transmissibility by 70%.
Christian Drosten, a virologist at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, says that was premature. “There are too many unknowns to say something like that,” he says. For one thing, the rapid spread of B.1.1.7 might be down to chance. Scientists previously worried that a variant that spread rapidly from Spain to the rest of Europe—confusingly called B.1.1.77—might be more transmissible, but today they think it is not; it just happened to be carried all over Europe by travelers who spent their holidays in Spain. Something similar might be happening with B.1.1.7, says Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University. Drosten notes that the new mutant also carries a deletion in another viral gene, ORF8, that previous studies suggest might reduce the virus’s ability to spread.
But further reason for concern comes from South Africa, where scientists have sequenced genomes in three provinces where cases are soaring: Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu Natal. They identified a lineage separate from the U.K. variant that also has the N501Y mutation in the spike gene. “We found that this lineage seems to be spreading much faster,” says Tulio De Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu Natal whose work first alerted U.K. scientists to the importance of N501Y. (A preprint of their results on the strain, which they are calling 501Y.V2, will be released on Monday, De Oliveira says.)
Another worry is that B.1.1.7 could cause more severe disease. There is anecdotal evidence that the South African variant may be doing that in young people and those who are otherwise healthy, says John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “It’s concerning, but we really need more data to be sure.” The African Task Force for Coronavirus will convene an emergency meeting to discuss the issue on Monday, Nkengasong says.
In a press conference on Saturday, chief science advisor Patrick Vallance said that B.1.1.7, which first appeared in a virus isolated on 20 September, accounted for about 26% of cases in mid-November. “By the week commencing the 9th of December, these figures were much higher,” he said. “So, in London, over 60% of all the cases were the new variant.” Boris Johnson added that the slew of mutations may have increased the virus’s transmissibility by 70%.
Christian Drosten, a virologist at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, says that was premature. “There are too many unknowns to say something like that,” he says. For one thing, the rapid spread of B.1.1.7 might be down to chance. Scientists previously worried that a variant that spread rapidly from Spain to the rest of Europe—confusingly called B.1.1.77—might be more transmissible, but today they think it is not; it just happened to be carried all over Europe by travelers who spent their holidays in Spain. Something similar might be happening with B.1.1.7, says Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University. Drosten notes that the new mutant also carries a deletion in another viral gene, ORF8, that previous studies suggest might reduce the virus’s ability to spread.
But further reason for concern comes from South Africa, where scientists have sequenced genomes in three provinces where cases are soaring: Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu Natal. They identified a lineage separate from the U.K. variant that also has the N501Y mutation in the spike gene. “We found that this lineage seems to be spreading much faster,” says Tulio De Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu Natal whose work first alerted U.K. scientists to the importance of N501Y. (A preprint of their results on the strain, which they are calling 501Y.V2, will be released on Monday, De Oliveira says.)
Another worry is that B.1.1.7 could cause more severe disease. There is anecdotal evidence that the South African variant may be doing that in young people and those who are otherwise healthy, says John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “It’s concerning, but we really need more data to be sure.” The African Task Force for Coronavirus will convene an emergency meeting to discuss the issue on Monday, Nkengasong says.
I think they're using the new variant thing as their excuse to cover up that their plan didn't work - and that was almost certainly down to having London and the south east in Tier 2 for no valid reason, when areas of the north (all of Yorks and most of Lancs) have been in T3. And in those T3 areas - Yorkshire especially - rates have gone down.
One thing having both sides of the channel in lockdown will probably help with in January is a decrease in traffic and, as such, you'd think less congestion at the borders. If it's only essential goods coming in, then it may buy more time for certain agreements to be reached?
davek
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I have yet to read a foreign paper or article or news report that even gives a mention to the Cockney Covid.
Feels like just when things were starting to look up we’ve taken another blow due to the London variant. No doubt it will be spreading widely here in the Midlands before long and the North will follow not long after.
No idea how much they can speed up the vaccination campaign but I hope it’s possible. Going to be a bleak Christmas and January.
No idea how much they can speed up the vaccination campaign but I hope it’s possible. Going to be a bleak Christmas and January.
I'm sure it exists. I'm sure there is a new strain. But I highly doubt that there is actually any meaningful difference to it than the other strain.
There's loads of strains of this thing anyway. It's just been used as a tool for fear, by all of the politicians on both sides of the divide.
Lost any respect for any of them when not one questioned why London and the south east was not put into Tier 3 at the start of December.
Leylo
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If the virus has mutated here surely it's done the same in other countries don't get it ,need to shut up leaving us more isolated in Europe just a excuse because let's be honest the whole country should be in lockdown not half arse tier groups which is obviously don't work
of course it will, the scary new variant.
I bet in 6 months time we get another scary new one too.
It's alright though, because if you got financial support or furlough in March, then you'll get it again. Of course, if you didn't qualify a year ago, they won't change any of the qualification factors though, so you'll be out on your arse again.
And then it's alright, because there'll be loads of stuff to come back to when all this is over.
davek
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The article linked above suggests we've been here before with the Spanish variant in the summer.
Of course, caution is required. My call is for another national lockdown and roll the vaccines out ASAP.
sbbefc
Player Valuation: £30m
This new strain may or may not be an additional problem. But the issue here is that the government continuously lie and break their own laws. They've lost control of the situation and it's completely their fault. I'm a cynic and I think it's propaganda to cover their arses. But it may well be the case of the boy who cried wolf.
Read many foreign papers do you? Took about 30 seconds to find these
B.1.1.7: Was Experten bislang zu den Folgen der neuen Corona-Variante sagen - WELT
Eine neue Variante des Coronavirus, die in England die Infektionszahlen nach oben treibt, alarmiert Regierungen auf der ganzen Welt. Bislang sind sich Wissenschaftler uneinig, wie brisant die Veränderung des Erregers ist.
Covid-19 : ce que l’on sait de la nouvelle souche plus contagieuse du coronavirus
Le Royaume-Uni a informé l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) de la propagation « jusqu’à 70 % » plus rapide de la nouvelle souche, selon le premier ministre, Boris Johnson.
www.lemonde.fr
The Coronavirus Is Mutating. What Does That Mean for Us?
Officials in Britain and South Africa claim new variants are more easily transmitted. There’s a lot more to the story, scientists say.
Leylo
Player Valuation: £35m
The government basically said do what you want for 5 days over Christmas, really we knew that was a disaster waiting to happen well its going tits up now people Christmas shopping in different tiered areas its not rocket science even with the so called new strain if we don't fully lockdown people are going to die fact! We've all got phones internet let's use are own common sense and protect our loved ones for one Christmas ffs
davek
Player Valuation: £150m
They're foreign language reports and I can hardly be expected to comment on them. And the NY Times report is firewalled.Read many foreign papers do you? Took about 30 seconds to find these
B.1.1.7: Was Experten bislang zu den Folgen der neuen Corona-Variante sagen - WELT
Eine neue Variante des Coronavirus, die in England die Infektionszahlen nach oben treibt, alarmiert Regierungen auf der ganzen Welt. Bislang sind sich Wissenschaftler uneinig, wie brisant die Veränderung des Erregers ist.www.welt.de
Covid-19 : ce que l’on sait de la nouvelle souche plus contagieuse du coronavirus
Le Royaume-Uni a informé l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) de la propagation « jusqu’à 70 % » plus rapide de la nouvelle souche, selon le premier ministre, Boris Johnson.
The Coronavirus Is Mutating. What Does That Mean for Us?
Officials in Britain and South Africa claim new variants are more easily transmitted. There’s a lot more to the story, scientists say.www.nytimes.com
Thanks for your supply of useless links though.
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