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Scientists who discovered SA Covid-19 variant share what they know
By The Conversation
By Willem Hanekom and Tulio de Oliveira
Late last year the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA) led by the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) identified a rapidly spreading new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The new variant, called 501Y.V2, raises critical questions – including whether current vaccines and treatments will still be effective.
With the support of the South African Medical Research Council and the Department of Science and Innovation, a group of leading South African virologists, immunologists, vaccinologists, infectious disease specialists and microbiologists has since formed a consortium to address specific scientific questions surrounding 501Y.V2. The knowledge they generate will be shared with policy makers and developers of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments. The Conversation Africa asked the cons
Saturday 30 January 2021 - 4:30pm
The World Health Organization says there s no evidence that a new Covid-19 variant called K4.1.7N leads to more severe disease or death but what experts do agree on is that the new variant is more transmissible. It s also said to pose a higher risk of reinfection. So what causes new variants and what impact do they have on vaccines? Courtesy #DStv403
JOHANNESBURG - More people must be vaccinated as quickly as possible if we are to minimise the chances of having another COVID-19 variant.
That s according to Professor Tulio de Oliveira from the Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform.