Research is currently underway to assess the impact of the new coronavirus mutation on the effectiveness of vaccines, as well as its ability to cause more severe disease. The press secretary of the World Health Organization (WHO) told Lente.ru about this.
According to him, WHO is in close contact with health authorities and scientists in UK and South Africa regarding mutations found in the virus. “Analysis is underway to determine whether these new variants of the virus are more easily transmitted between people, whether they cause more severe disease, and whether the mutation will affect how tests or vaccines work,” he said.
The source of the publication noted that viruses tend to undergo mutations as they circulate, and these changes can lead to a change in the characteristics of the virus. The organization promised to continue to inform countries and the public about the new strain of coronavirus as it learns more.
The mutated virus was also found in patients in the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia and Italy. According to experts, it is still impossible to talk about its greater danger and reduced susceptibility to vaccines.
On December 14, UK Health Minister Matthew Hancock reported that a a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 that spreads faster than the original form. The virus is more easily transmitted from person to person and therefore more contagious, he said.