The UK use of genomic sequences to identify a more infectious strain of SARS-COV-2 has largely been a waking demand for inappropriate use of the technology in the US
By mid-December, the U.S. had classified about 0.3% of its COVID-19 samples, a percentage that is significantly lower than other developed countries despite having a quarter of the world’s cases. .
In comparison, the UK follows about 10% of its samples, and Australia is aiming to place a real-time series of COVID-19 positive tests there in real time.
“The US has not been a showcase for running if you look at the global stage,” said Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translation Institute. “Order gives us a lot of different things. It tells us how the virus moves from place to place. It tells us how fast it is changing. We can say that he was here on this day, and he was there another day. He can tell he’s a super-spreader. “
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Growing concern about new “hyper-transmissable” strains of SARS-COV-2 has raised greater awareness of the country’s lack of funding and federal development of the kind of genomic analysis the UK has helped to snoring identification B.1.1.7 and South Africa. pinpoint the strain B. 1.351 in December.
“We simply don’t have the kind of robust surveillance capabilities we need to track outbreaks and mutations,” President Joe Biden said Thursday, when he called for a major increase in order. and genomic analysis as part of its proposed $ 1.9 trillion American. Rescue Plan.
While a good chunk of federal pandemic dollars have so far gone toward immediate needs such as testing, contact detection, and helping drug dealers increase their vaccine manufacturing capabilities, experts are now pushing the US to build a stronger genomic monitoring system that will help public health. departments identify new strands while at the same time dealing better with regional or community outbreaks.
All viruses develop, and SARS-COV-2 is thought to develop one to two variants per month, although it moves much more slowly than the flu virus. Back in mid-2020, researchers started talking about the 614G movement, which is now considered the strongest form of the virus worldwide. Now, concerns have shifted to the B.1.1.7 and B. 1.351 series, which are thought to be both more contagious.
The B.1.1.7 strain from the UK was detected in at least 76 people in 12 states, as of 13 January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The B. 1.351 strain from South Africa has not been identified in the US at this time.)
In the U.S., where rates of disease, hospitalization, and mortality continue to rise, public-level public health initiatives have become less under pressure when there is a high demand for testing and care.
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Intermountain Healthcare, a hospital system based in Salt Lake City, canceled all COVID-19 positive tests for sequencing in the early days of the pandemic. But as things began to rise, and workload increased, the process became too confused and time consuming, and was halted, said Dr. Bert Lopansri, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epilepsy Intermountain.
“With more treatment options, vaccine rollouts and the emergence of new changes, it is vital that you follow up a series,” he said in an email.
If the U.S. followed at least 5% of advanced COVID-19 tests, they would be able to detect emerging rays or changes when they make up less than 1% of cases. overall progress, according to a model developed by sequencing company Illumina Inc. ILMN,
(Their model is expected to be unveiled this weekend as a preview, a sort of preliminary medical examination.)
This would cost less than $ 500 million in 2021, according to Dr. Phil Febbo, the company’s chief medical officer.
Experts say that not only can put money behind a national genomic order monitoring network to help identify new changes in the future, but it can help overworked public health sectors by prioritizing it. who should be tested, contacted, and loneliness.
It could also be used to tell vaccine manufacturers if there is a “vaccine escape strain,” a strain of the virus that may be making the currently available vaccines so effective or so ineffective.
(Laboratory study of mice with BioNTech SE BNTX,
and Pfizer Inc. PFE,
showed that their vaccine is still effective against the new strains, according to Jan. 7. Moderna Inc. MRNA,
also said to be confident that his MRNA vaccine will work against the UK strain)
“When they see a small accumulation of new difference coming into a community, they can respond quickly,” Febbo said, “and can raise awareness for those infected and make sure that they will do their best to keep that in. ”
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Earlier this month, Illumina announced plans by a private testing company called Helix OpCo to develop a CDC-supported national series monitoring system. Helix looks for samples from advanced COVID-19 tests with the “S gene dropout” to follow Illumina. To date, they have identified at least 51 cases of B.1.1.7. in the USA
The introduction of genomic sequences into a national study is not the only way to update the way the U.S. can detect and take action against the virus. Beyond experimentation, communication detection, and loneliness, this could include genomic sequencing, wastewater monitoring, movement data collection, and the use of digital sensors, according to Topol.
“As we get vaccines out there at full tilt, we’re going to start seeing the virus,” he said. “And then there are whale-like places, where the virus tends to grow again. If you place the order, do wastewater, digital, mobility, basically you have a real-time schedule in the country, and you see, ‘Oh, wow, Kalamazoo lights up. ‘”
Shares of Illumina have gained 18% in the last 12 months, and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF XBI,
gained 59% and the S&P 500 SPX,
has received 15%.