New Covid variant *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[Wingingthis]

Can anyone talk some sense about how dangerous this is or is it just the media over exaggerating?

Haven't even heard of it. Not helpful

I get the sense it's too early to say. Could be nothing, or could be a massive pain in the arse.

@cushioncovers it’s on the news ? Google ? I’m not here to report the news I’m starting a discussion about it

I just had a sock look at the articles. I felt like it's a bit early to get worried! No mention of increased/decreased sickness from it, just concern that it may need a new vaccine/amendment to the vaccine. Which is kind of where we are with the vaccine anyway, I'm that we knew it will need regular boosters to keep ups with mutations, just like with flu...

Quick look not sock look!!!!

Too early to know. It has worrying mutations that could mean vaccine / prior infection would be less of a defense. BUT we don't yet know how transmissible it is - if it's less transmissible than other variants then it will not be able to take hold.

Nobody knows. It might have increased transmission the same way delta did, it might not.

another 1

They don't know how transmissable it is yet so therefore we have no idea of the impact it could have. They only know that it looks very different to alpha and delta and so current vaccines are likely to be less effective.

@SonnetForSpring

They don't know how transmissable it is yet so therefore we have no idea of the impact it could have. They only know that it looks very different to alpha and delta and so current vaccines are likely to be less effective.

It’s a good job lots of people have had the virus and have some broader spectrum immunity then, isn’t it?

Who fucking knows but it's it's starting to feel like this time last year and heading towards restrictions

Thanks everyone, really helpful & I understand it more now 🙌🏼

@idontlikealdi

Who fucking knows but it's it's starting to feel like this time last year and heading towards restrictions

It's certainly squeaky bum time for whoever came up with the Tesco

No idea but if we keep vaccinating just developed countries this will get worse and worse with the mutations.

Having the virus itself is unlikely to make you significantly more immune to the mutation than those who had had the vaccine, because it looks very different to the virus your body attacked

It’s a good job lots of people have had the virus and have some broader spectrum immunity then, isn’t it?

Any chance to shoehorn in natural immunity eh?

Lots of people getting infected is how new variants emerge.

If it escapes vaccine derived immunity, immunity from infection is unlikely to fare much better as it is also based on alpha/delta primarily. Vaccination is still important as this won't be binary situation - even in a situation of partial escape, someone vaccinated will still fare better than someone unvaccinated.

Hopefully it's not too transmissible and will be quickly outcompeted by delta.

@saltedcaramel1 not exactly ‘shoehorning’ when it’s relevant. :) Why are you so against any mention of it when it could actually be beneficial in keeping case levels low if the variant can evade the vaccines?

The paper published in nature last month showed that B cell immunity evolved for longer after infection and could provide broad protection against multiple VOC. Let’s hope people who have had the virus have some sort of immunity to the new strain so that it can’t spread as quickly. Or do you think we should only be allowed to rely on vaccines?

[quote bumbleymummy]@saltedcaramel1 not exactly ‘shoehorning’ when it’s relevant. :) Why are you so against any mention of it when it could actually be beneficial in keeping case levels low if the variant can evade the vaccines?

The paper published in nature last month showed that B cell immunity evolved for longer after infection and could provide broad protection against multiple VOC. Let’s hope people who have had the virus have some sort of immunity to the new strain so that it can’t spread as quickly. Or do you think we should only be allowed to rely on vaccines?[/quote]
It just seemed a little odd to be your only contribution to a new thread.

Pre-existing dual immunity will be really important in how this plays out, but alluding to the idea that vaccines are useless now (which seems to be yet another way of discouraging vaccination) won't help the situation - more people getting vaccinated & more people getting boosters will be benefical.

Sigh… I’m not the one saying anything about them being ‘useless’ actually.

I very much think we should be rolling out the boosters as quickly as possible but, as I said on the other thread, I think more at risk groups should be prioritised in other countries over, for example, young/healthy people in the U.K.

@fournonblondes

No idea but if we keep vaccinating just developed countries this will get worse and worse with the mutations.

Mutations will come out of developed countries with lots of vaccinations too.

In fact a vaccine that doesn't totally stop transmission like the covid ones tends to drive mutations that are less effective than the vaccination. This is a well-established element of vaccination.

They haven’t said anything about whether this variant makes people more seriously ill. It might be weaker? I’d be perfectly happy with a more infectious virus that basically just causes a sniffle because it’s so weak.

@bordermidgebite

Having the virus itself is unlikely to make you significantly more immune to the mutation than those who had had the vaccine, because it looks very different to the virus your body attacked

If this is the case - why when Covid first appeared did they say (and they still do, I think) that some people were more naturally immune than others because of previous other, older type of Covid viruses they'd had?

T cells?

@Wingingthis

Thanks everyone, really helpful & I understand it more now 🙌🏼

How can you understand it more from a group of people saying they have no idea?!

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/24/scientists-warn-of-new-covid-variant-with-high-number-of-mutations

This article explains better