A number of countries have announced travel bans to and from South Africa, citing fears of the new Covid-19 variant which was first discovered in the country.
COVID vaccines, scientist says South African variant unlikely to fully negate A variant of the coronavirus first detected in South Africa is unlikely to completely negate the immunising effects of vaccines, a researcher studying it told Reuters. British scientists expressed concern on Monday that COVID-19 vaccines may not be able to protect against the variant identified by South African genomics scientists and which has spread internationally.Reuters | Cape Town | Updated: 05-01-2021 23:18 IST | Created: 05-01-2021 23:15 IST
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A variant of the coronavirus first detected in South Africa is unlikely to completely negate the immunising effects of vaccines, a researcher studying it told Reuters.
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In the next few weeks, as laboratory work progresses
, South Africans should get a clearer picture of its new Covid-19 variant, says Professor Tulio de Oliveira, director of the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP). KRISP coordinates the genetic research into the virus in South Africa.
He warns that the new variant – called 501.V2 – is now clearly driving the surge in cases in South Africa, which is threatening to engulf its healthcare infrastructure.
Over the past nine days, more than 100 000 new Covid cases have been confirmed, with more than 200 people now dying every day.
While it is not expected that the new variant is causing more severe symptoms, De Oliveira says he won’t be surprised if the virus is found to be between 40% and 70% more transmissible than the original virus strain (in line with the UK’s 501Y variant). This means that you are much likelier to contract the virus when exposed to it.