New Brazilian strain - This has tipped me over the edge

[MoreGLessT]

Hi,

I know nobody can say either way if this is anything to worry about or not, but honestly, like so many others, I'm not sure how much more of this I can take!

It was only a few days ago the media confirmed that the vaccine would very likely be as effective against the other mutations, but these sighs of relief are getting increasingly short lived.

Maybe I was looking for it, but I thought BJ looked incredibly concerned when he mentioned it earlier, but then he was being scrutinised for his general handling of Covid at the time.

Ugh. Too early to open the wine?

I know what you mean and I think a lot of people are in the same place right now. But, it's worth remembering that now we have some vaccines, it's relatively quick and simple to update those rather than designing a whole new one. Hopefully we don't even need to do that yet, but if we do, the technology is there. Sending love.

If it helps with a bit of perspective, it isn't unlikely that many/ all countries will develop a variant strain. That's how viruses react to their environment.

But most vaccines work across most/all variants.

It is perfectly normal in the world of epidemiology.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

If it helps with a bit of perspective, it isn't unlikely that many/ all countries will develop a variant strain. That's how viruses react to their environment.

But most vaccines work across most/all variants.

It is perfectly normal in the world of epidemiology.

Yep, viruses mutate in tandem with the environment. It’s the same with the cold or flu, no is immune after having either once as the virus could be slightly different the next year. I know coronavirus isn’t the flu, just using it as an illustration.

I'm really worried about this too, I just can't imagine what will happen if vaccines don't work.

@Jellington, thank you. You too

@CuriousaboutSamphire and @sofiaaaaaa, I think I had got my head around the fact that there will be more mutations and given the latest data, that was obviously encouraging.

I don't know. It was just something about his expression on this one that really got me panicking.

@Earlgrey666 we'll get more vaccines that do work. Viruses are always changing and scientists are used to adapting vaccines to keep up with them. Try not to worry too much. This isn't the first pandemic and it won't be the last. We'll get there in the end.

I should also add that whether a vaccine works or not is not completely linear- there is a range that goes from preventing clinical disease completely to reducing the severity of the disease. Both are helpful in this situation so even if the vaccine offers some cross protection, we're still in a better state than we are without it.

Thanks @Jellington.
If they had to adapt the vaccines though, how could they could all be rolled out in time, wouldn't we always be chasing the mutations?

To some extent yes, but assuming a seasonal element, not everywhere in the world is in winter at the same time.
Flu vaccines track flu mutations around the world so the one you get is based on likely strains reaching the UK.

That's my worry @Earlgrey666

@Earlgrey666 usually with virus surveillance, you can predict when you’re going to need to update a vaccine. Mutations usually happen gradually rather than all at once (flu is a bit of an exception there and can give you a surprise) giving you some time to begin updating. Plus don’t forget we’ve known about the Kent strain since September.

I wouldn't judge by Johnson's expression. He mainly worries about himself. It is a bad period at the moment but listen to the scientists who can see light at the end of the tunnel. They have already figured out vaccines for the virus and if needs be they'll do so again.

I don’t believe we need to adapt the vaccine to work with every possible mutation, the initial vaccine should still provide some protection and eventually we’ll be able to manage COVID-19 similarly to the flu. As in, it will always be here but people will be less severely impacted and life can get closer to normal again.