A new mutation of the “British” strain of coronavirus has been identified in the UK. At the same time, experts in Oxford have demonstrated that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provides good protection even after the first dose. WHO inspectors who have arrived in Wuhan plan to personally inspect the laboratories at the Institute of Virology, from which the coronavirus could theoretically have leaked. And representatives of the IOC and the Tokyo organizing committee have announced a list of rules aimed at containing the spread of infection during the Olympics. This and other news about the development of the coronavirus situation in the world – in our daily review.
Public Health England has identified a mutation in the “British” strain of coronavirus. The mutation, code E484K, has previously been found in strains detected in South Africa and Brazil. UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that cases of the mutation have been detected in Bristol and Liverpool, and mass testing will now be carried out in the affected areas of these cities. Meanwhile, scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the body needs 10 times more antibodies to neutralize the virus with the E484K mutation than with the previously circulating strain. At the same time, the scientists emphasize that given the number of antibodies produced after vaccination, this should not affect the effectiveness of the vaccine against the new mutation. Already, 10 million people in the United Kingdom have received their first dose of the vaccine, and scientists are confident that the vaccination program will help reduce the incidence and mortality rates, even if the vaccine is not as effective against the new mutation. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discussed the threat of new coronavirus variants spreading in the environment. According to her, more than 90,000 people in the United States died from the coronavirus in January.
We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The Episodes The end of the story: Podcast Advertising In recent days, the number of new infections and patients in hospitals has decreased, but the spread of new variants can lead to a new increase. “Although we have seen a decline in new cases and hospitalizations, as well as a recent slowdown in mortality, the number of cases remains exceptionally high, double the summer peak. The continued spread of variants that are likely to be more infectious threatens to reverse these recent trends,” she said. In the United States, 308 cases of infection with the “British” variant of the coronavirus and only one case of the “Brazilian” variant have been reported as of the end of January. Speaking at the same conference, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus will be halted if enough people are vaccinated. “It is necessary to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as soon as the opportunity arises. The reason is simple […] the virus cannot mutate if it does not reproduce,” he said.
Scientists at the University of Oxford have concluded that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine significantly reduces the risk of viral transmission and provides good protection even after the first dose. From the UK government’s point of view, this fully justifies their hopes and efforts to combat the pandemic. “This shows the world that the Oxford vaccine works, and works well,” said Matt Hancock. “It slows the spread of the infection by two-thirds and absolutely confirms the validity of the strategy we have developed.” The study comes amid ongoing debate about the effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in older people. Although the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the vaccine for all ages last week, doctors in some countries have opposed its use in the elderly, saying there is insufficient evidence of its effectiveness.
British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline and German biotechnology company CureVac have joined forces to develop a vaccine by next year that would be effective against multiple variants of the coronavirus. CureVac began testing its new vaccine in Europe and Latin America in December and expects to have the first consolidated results by March-April. With GSK’s support, the company plans to commercialize 300 million doses this year. The German company is relying on the same cutting-edge genetic technology that has already propelled BioNTech and Moderna. After a preliminary analysis of RNA technologies, GSK is focusing on a traditional approach to vaccine development.
In France, two laboratories are starting production of a coronavirus vaccine. One will start production of Moderna’s vaccine in March, while the other will start production of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine in April. Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron, responding to critics who accused the authorities of moving too slowly on the vaccination program, promised that in the near future, France will put into operation 4 vaccine manufacturing plants at once. The admission of the giant of the Russian pharmaceutical industry, Sanofi, that its own vaccine will be ready only by the end of the year, dealt a blow to national pride, and the authorities insisted that the company start production of Pfizer-BioNTech from the second quarter, while continuing to work on the development of its own product. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian even stated that he would allow the use of the Russian vaccine “Sputnik V” if it passed European standards. France is making every effort to avoid a new national lockdown, but the death toll continues to rise: on Tuesday, 404 deaths were recorded in a single day, and there are already 3270 coronavirus patients in intensive care units. In Norway, they have started to gradually ease the lockdown restrictions. Shops and restaurants that are not located in crowded shopping centers are allowed to open, but the ban on selling alcohol is still in effect. A number of restrictions on school activities will be lifted – more students will be able to attend classes and there will be more students in classrooms. Strict measures were introduced on January 23 due to the outbreak of the new British strain. For the first time during the pandemic, all non-essential businesses in Oslo and the surrounding area were closed. At the same time, the Norwegian border remains closed to all movements except in cases of extreme necessity.
WHO representatives arrived in Wuhan to conduct their own investigation. WHO inspectors went to China to inspect the laboratories that, as the Trump administration suspected, may have been the source of the pandemic. For many years, the Wuhan Institute of Virology studied bats, which carry many viruses, and one theory was that the virus could have been released from there. According to a WHO representative, nothing can be ruled out, so the inspectors will ask “the questions that need to be asked. However, employees of the Institute’s security service did not allow journalists to communicate with WHO inspectors.
Israel’s vaccination program is the fastest in the world. As of Wednesday, Israel’s vaccination program, which is the most advanced in the world, will be expanded to include all citizens over the age of 16. Until now, the vaccine has been available to all residents over the age of 35. At the same time, Israeli experts acknowledge that collective immunity will not be achieved until all children are vaccinated. However, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines used in Israel are not yet approved for use in children under the age of 16. There is also evidence that the vaccination process in Israel is slowing down because many in the Arab and ultra-Orthodox communities are refusing to be vaccinated.
The Organizing Committee of the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan, along with the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee, unveiled plans to ensure Tokyo’s sanitary safety during the Games. All game guests are required to fill out a personal “Event Schedule” for the next 14 days. They must list all of their activities for the next two weeks, including transportation and accommodations. They are also prohibited from singing, chanting, hugging, or shaking hands. However, there may be no reason for technical staff and sports officials to support their team, as they are also prohibited from attending competitions as spectators. New brochures with recommendations for athletes and other Games participants will be released soon.