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-The new variant of coronavirus: how common is it?

-Is it anything to think about with the new coronavirus variant?

  A new coronavirus variant is being studied by scientists in the UK to find out whether it leads to a more rapid spread of COVID-19 in some parts of the world. 1,108 cases of this new version, called 'VUI-202012/01' as it is the first variant under investigation in December, were reported as of December 13, according to Public Health England (PHE).

The new variant of coronavirus: how common is it?

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on 14 December that at least 60 separate local authorities, primarily in the south and east of England, had confirmed infections with COVID-19 caused by the latest variant, the BBC reported.

On December 14, the researchers monitoring the genetics of the virus, from the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium, released a statement explaining that there are a large number of mutations in this variant. The N501Y mutation found in the Spike protein, where the coronavirus binds to receptors on host cells in the human body, is of particular interest to scientists. The statement indicated that "efforts are under way to confirm whether or not any of these mutations are contributing to increased transmission."

Is it anything to think about with the new coronavirus variant?

The mutation of a virus is entirely normal; seasonal influenza mutates every year (which is why a new flu shot becomes available every year as well). Thus, a new strain of coronavirus is not inherently a "worse" strain than the other.

Infectious disease specialist Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Protection in Maryland, says, "The virus is constantly mutating," "And while mutations are often the stuff of Hollywood movies, most mutations don't have a functional significance."

This was also the message from Dr. Susan Hopkins, interim chief medical advisor of the Test and Trace program of the United Kingdom National Health Service and PHE joint medical advisor, who said, according to the PHE release, "It is not unexpected that the virus should evolve and it's important that we spot any changes quickly to understand the potential risk any variant may pose. There is currently no evidence that this strain causes more severe illness, although it is being detected in a wide geography especially where there are increased cases being detected."

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The WHO was aware of the version, said Dr. Michael Ryan, the Executive Director of the World Health Organization Emergencies Program. Currently, this kind of evolution and mutations are very common,"This kind of evolution and mutations are actually quite common," "The question, as we've had most recently with the mink variants in Denmark and previous variations, is: does this make the virus more serious? Does it allow the virus to transmit more easily? Does it in any way interfere with diagnostics? Would it in any way interfere with vaccine effectiveness? None of these questions are addressed yet."

Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer of the UK, said at a press conference that there was nothing to indicate that a vaccine would not operate against the new strain, the BBC reported. He also reported that it could be identified by current COVID-19 swab tests being used in the UK.

"There's still quite a small proportion of the population [who are thought to] currently have immunity due to prior infection," Whitty said. "So there isn't a huge selection pressure on this virus. And therefore, it would be surprising—not impossible, but pretty surprising—if [the new strain] would actually have evolved to be able to get around the vaccine."

It is important to monitor and research mutations as the coronavirus evolves and new strains become widespread, Dr. Adalja says. The full implications of this new mutation will take some time for scientists to find out, but right now, there's no need to panic.

As of press time, the data in this tale is correct. However, as the COVID-19 situation continues to develop, it is likely that some knowledge has changed since it was written. While health is trying to keep our stories as current as possible, by using the CDC, WHO, and their own communities, we also allow readers to stay updated about news and recommendations about their own communities.