The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has been mutating. A number of variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil have scientists concerned. The new SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 has spread widely in the UK and is now the dominant strain there. This strain has caused widespread outbreaks in Britain and around the world. Hospitals have been overwhelmed and the government has imposed tight lockdowns.
Is the New SARS-CoV-2 Variant Becoming More Common in the US?
Now the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant has been discovered in at least 19 states of the US. (You can learn more about this new SARS-CoV-2 variant from this detailed discussion in The New York Times.) Some experts believe that it may have spread even further, but too few public health departments are doing gene sequencing that would reveal it.
The real concern is that a more transmissible form of the virus will soon become dominant. Even measures to control the spread, like wearing masks and keeping our distance from people we don’t live with, may not be enough to shut down such a variant.
The B.1.1.7 Variant in Other Countries:
More than 50 countries have also identified this COVID strain. In addition, public health officials are very concerned about another highly contagious variant, 501Y.V2. This new SARS-CoV-2 variant has been spreading in South Africa and Brazil. Even with travel restrictions, some people may carry it from those countries to other parts of the world.
A Dangerous Mutation:
The new SARS-CoV-2 variant first identified in South Africa has a mutation called E484K. Vaccines may be less effective against this mutation. A variant that has arisen in Brazil also carries the E484K mutation. This strain of the coronavirus is wreaking havoc in Manaus and Sao Paulo.
Now, the UK variant appears to have acquired the E484K mutation in a few samples as well. Coronaviruses that combine high transmissibility and reduced susceptibility to immune defenses could make the pandemic harder to control because people may become reinfected.
A recent study indicates that the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine works as well against B.1.1.7 as it does against the Wuhan original strain (bioRxiv, Jan. 20, 2021). They may not be fully effective against any new SARS-CoV-2 variant with the E484K mutation, though. Getting everyone vaccinated as soon as possible and maintaining measures against transmission will be essential in the fight against these new forms of coronavirus.
