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While vaccine drive program has been rolled all around the world against Covid-19, originated in december, 2019, affecting millions of people worldwide, the other new variants of Covid-19 emerged, which is reported to be more transmissible than previous one but are less deadly. These strains again pose a serious concern for scientist and healthcare.

New strain outbreak 

Multiple new coronavirus strains moving globally has been reported. 

 Variant B.1.1.7 identified independently in United Kingdom (UK). This variant was first detected in the US in September, 2020.

 Variant B.1.351 identified in South Africa: This was first detected in early October 2020, whereas some infected cases by this variant was reported in US at the end of January 2021. 

 Variant P.1 identified in Manaus city, Brazil in early January, 2021 in travellers, while travelling from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, found new P.1 variant with few mutations in it. 

Although experts declared, the new variant are not very dangerous but their pattern of transmission are need to be managed to avoid any alarming situation.

Are the new strains more dangerous? 

South African strain “501Y.V2” first came into picture in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Reports said that the new strain in South Africa is more concerning than the UK one, in terms of clinical outcome, having multiple number of mutations in its spike that makes it easy and quick entry in the individual.

Research, yet not peer viewed, said that this strain can cause re-infection as it may not be neutralised from the antibodies present in the patient while the other researcher Penny Moore stated that 501Y.V2 (SA variant) may hinder the efficacy of Covid vaccine, so can be more dangerous. The same can also be said about Brazil strain but in UK strain, although the frequency of transmission is high but vaccine can show good impact against this strain. Overall these strains are not much dangerous when compared to the original one but it is still advisable to take proper precausions to avoid any unusual situations.

Are the available vaccines effective against new variants?

Although UK variant has affected more than 80 countries including India, but it is reported that available Covid-19 vaccines are found effective against UK variant, The number of people who have tested positive from the UK variant of coronavirus in India has climbed to 150, the Union Health Ministry said recently.

A virologist, David Montefiori, at Duke university Medical Center, told to CNN, that both the vaccines ( Pfizer and Moderna vaccines) are 95% effective, even if the virus reduce vaccine’s efficiency to about 70%. Both Pfizer and Moderna also confirmed, their vaccine has shown more efficacy against new variants of the coronavirus discovered in Britain than against South Africa strain.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases used the blood samples from 44 people who had Covid-19, to determine the efficacy of their antibodies  against the 501Y.V2 variant. The study found that in nearly half of the cases, the neutralising antibodies were not effective against the new variant, suggesting people may be susceptible to reinfection. Researchers suggested more number of large-scale clinical trials  to determine the efficacy of available corona  vaccines against  new variants.

Prevention Advise

Although vaccines show to be less effective against new strain but it has good affect against the old coronavirus still moving around the world. We should not forget to get vaccinated as it provides immunity against old corona viruses. In addition, it is advisable to follow all the precautionary measures as earlier and stay safe.

WHO further advises many countries, to increase routine systematic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 viruses to better understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission and to monitor for the emergence of new variants.