So, about that new-new UK variant...

[Sarcany]

The hits keep on coming.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/...-vaccines/

Researchers in the UK have detected at least 15 cases of B.1.1.7 variants carrying an additional mutation: E484K, a mutation already seen in other concerning variants and one that may make current vaccines less effective at preventing infection. The B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the United Kingdom, is already known to spread more easily among people than earlier strains of the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. And according to some preliminary evidence, it may cause more severe disease...

Yep.

[mattkime]

yeah, its going to continue to mutate.

[space-time]

I think masks are here to stay

[PeterB]

That's what viruses do, mutate.

I'm still not convinced that this particular one is mutating at the rate previously claimed. It does have mutational hotspots and also as I've posited here before, I wonder if what we're seeing is either some co-infection and possible swapping with other coronaviruses, or an increase in mutations because of folks who are infected for an extended period, thereby giving the virus a "melting pot" in which to mutate.

And again, I think we need vaccines that don't just target the spike protein: https://forums.macresource.com/read.php?...sg-2582847

[NewtonMP2100]

......think it will be 'the never ending story'..........just like the flu changes every year......this will continue to mutate.........forever......

[bfd]

What's troubling is that the mutations are showing some eyeball significance in terms of an increased ability to infect a host. At some point, and at the rate at which this virus is evolving… well, it will continue to evolve "work arounds" in an effort to survive. That's its only goal. Random errors in the signature seem less critical, but can we overlook the fact that these errors now are leading directly to more infective virus variants?

[RgrF]

The mutations seem to be a product of 'laissez-faire' government actions (including our own CA mutations). Governments that were pro-active don't seem to have mutations or at least not the variants we've seen so far.

We'll have to inoculate the world, there is no other way out.

[voodoopenguin]

All countries are testing for the virus but some test for the variants more than others.

Paul

[Speedy]

voodoopenguin wrote:
All countries are testing for the virus but some test for the variants more than others.

Paul

The USA is ranked number 43 in the world for COVID45 sequencing. Yay, USA!

[voodoopenguin]

An article from Paris (in English) about how we are doing.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20...ying-blind

Paul