There's another vaccine! And we've got 60 million shots! And it's made here!

[HelloThereMeHearties]

And it's effective against the new UK variant!

And it will really wind the EU up!!!

Novavax has passed its stage three trial, now hopefully the MHRA will approve it!!!

@Avondklok

So genome sequencers in U.K. can't work out where it came from if it's European? That's not how it works,

I think the government know more than they letting on about the new Kent varient its all a bit weird.

So genome sequencers in U.K. can't work out where it came from if it's European? That's not how it works,

So how does it work then?
Because I don't think they can be sure , well not yet anyway.
Maybe in time we will have more answers .
Like lots of things with covid , we will learn more , we know more now than we did 6 months ago ( when I say we I mean world )

So genome sequencers in U.K. can't work out where it came from if it's European? That's not how it works,

No I don't think it's about that. Some countries (like the UK) are world leaders in genome sequencing and so are continuously testing for new variants. This means when one appears in the UK (either via a new mutation or someone has brought it from elsewhere), the scientists identify it pretty quickly. Other countries without that capability don't detect it and it only comes to our attention when it travels to another country (like the UK) and is detected. I believe South Africa is also pretty good at genome sequencing.

But does it really matter to the lay public where it originated (may be important to scientists)?

@Waspnest

So genome sequencers in U.K. can't work out where it came from if it's European? That's not how it works,

No I don't think it's about that. Some countries (like the UK) are world leaders in genome sequencing and so are continuously testing for new variants. This means when one appears in the UK (either via a new mutation or someone has brought it from elsewhere), the scientists identify it pretty quickly. Other countries without that capability don't detect it and it only comes to our attention when it travels to another country (like the UK) and is detected. I believe South Africa is also pretty good at genome sequencing.

But does it really matter to the lay public where it originated (may be important to scientists)?

Exactly. Denmark are pretty good also, so not surprising the ‘mink’ variant was found there. I don’t think it really matters to the general public, no, although I’m sure it matters massively to the scientific community.

My point was that you can’t really say anything about where it came from or who ‘spread it to who’, because realistically, no one knows. It’s just not surprising that the countries with the best genome sequencing are where the new variants are cropping up.

Sorry I was replying to another poster. Yes I agree with you.

I think the government know more than they letting on about the new Kent varient its all a bit weird.

I'm quite glad you said that 3asABird. I had the same feeling, that we are not being given the full picture on the new variant but I just put that feeling down to me having a spot of lockdown fever.

*37EileenGC

the eu is spectacularly failing its people right now

Funny, I'm an EU citizen living in a EU country that receives a lot of bashing on here, and I don't feel like they're failing us.

Like other PP said, both the EU, the UK and every country in the world has done mistakes and also achieved good things.

I feel protected where I live. There are strong measures in place, respected by most citizens. Because we (mostly) trust our government. Our incidence is under 100, in the middle of winter. Our hospitals are not overwhelmed. Life is fairly normal, even with lockdown*

In that case surely your country's need for the vaccine is lower.

@HelloThereMeHearties

And it's effective against the new UK variant!

And it will really wind the EU up!!!

Novavax has passed its stage three trial, now hopefully the MHRA will approve it!!!

I mean blimey, when I said it would wind the EU up, I didn't realise the extent to which they would go bananas.

Hopefully everyone has calmed down now, vdL has realised what a prat she had made of herself and the damage she has done to the EU's credibility in the world, AZ are going to give them some more of the vaccine that Macron and Germany say isn't much good anyway, and we can all get on with vaccinating.

@bytheby

I'd much prefer someone vulnerable/old in another country to have a vaccine before me (healthy, thirties)

And you will then continue to pose a threat so we must keep lockdown going. Do you really want that or did you just not think it through?