Is the vaccine resistant to corona mutation?

Prof. Galia Rahav following the mutation: “I would close Ben Gurion Airport right now” – Watch the interview

“I would close Ben Gurion Airport already now,” explains Prof. Rahav. Right now there are a lot of people who come from all sorts of countries in the world with Corona and distribute it. I do not know for example how many came from Dubai with the virus, but non-unemployed percentages came from Turkey, Bulgaria, and infected many people in the country. “Ben Gurion Airport is one of the most important areas in bringing the virus.”

A mutation is a genetic change that occurs constantly in all living things on earth, and also in microorganisms: bacteria, fungi and even viruses (which are not defined as living things, due to their necessity to penetrate a living cell in order to exist). The mutation probably occurs as a “survival instinct” of those microorganisms, and its purpose is to optimize the process of spread and reproduction. By the way, humans have also undergone many genetic changes throughout evolution.

World health organizations are monitoring the subjects’ PCR samples, including sample tests to detect corona strains. In the sampling tests, the same new strain was discovered. The source of the new mutation is unknown, but the group of researchers who documented the new mutation speculates that it developed in patients whose immune systems are weakened. In their bodies, it is estimated that the virus multiplied over many weeks and accumulated many mutations. Thus, beyond the danger to their lives, it is important to protect these patients through a mask, social distance and of course vaccination of all the people around them.

This is a new strain called VUI-202012/01, a code name that means: “First variant under investigation”, which was discovered about two weeks ago. The mutation has another name, N501Y + 69 / 70del, which refers to the genetic order itself of the strain.

Whenever the virus replicates, there is a chance that parts of it will mutate, due to a “replication error”. There are many factors that cause a virus to mutate. One of them is the increasing immunity of the population, which makes it difficult for the virus to spread, which “forces” it to genetically modify, so that some of the replication errors multiply and those that survive. As mentioned, according to estimates, this process is an evolutionary process that all microorganisms go through, when in the end the strong survive.

So far, about 17 mutations, or “replication errors”, of the corona virus have been discovered in the world. For example, one mutation that is structurally reminiscent of the mutation discovered in the UK was described in Singapore in March and caused an overly mild disease. However, there is almost no difference in the rate of proliferation of the virus in the cells.

“Mutation does not affect vaccine effectiveness”: Watch an interview with an infectious disease specialist in Italy

Based on the research so far, it is estimated that the corona mutation spreads at a high rate in 70% of the other strains. This means that it will bounce the coefficient of infection R, which refers to the number of people infected from each other. Coagulation coefficient higher than 1, as is well known, means that each person infects others. An adhesion coefficient of less than 1 indicates a halt to the spread.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained that the new strain increases the R by 0.4 or more. And the effect is already noticeable in places where a high prevalence of the strain has been found: the R in the UK was around 1.1-1.2, and now in the East of England it has jumped to 1.4, in London and the South East of England it stands at 1.3.

As far as is known, those who contracted it did not have a more severe disease than others. According to one theory, the mutations actually cause a relatively mild disease, but it is still too early to tell.

According to estimates, no. Based on the other mutations that are not resistant to corona vaccines, scientists estimate that even this time the neutralizing antibodies created in the body following the vaccine will not allow the new mutation to survive either. The vaccines create antibodies against many areas in the corona shell, so they are likely to prevent infection with the new strain as well. However, more time is needed to monitor those who have been infected with the mutation, and those who have already been vaccinated.

The antibodies produced in the body following the vaccines are active against the same “spike” protein that envelops the corona virus, and are therefore likely to be active against the new mutation as well. Vaccines, developed against an early variation of the corona virus, are likely to be less effective on the new mutation, but in any case a vaccine is preferable to disease. Since a large-scale vaccination campaign has already begun in the UK, it is possible that in the coming weeks we will be able to know whether the new version of the virus succeeds in overcoming the vaccine.

In addition, one of the advantages of Modern and Pfizer vaccines, based on mRNA technology, is that the new gene developed by the mutation can be incorporated into the vaccine easily and quickly, without changing any of its stages of preparation. Theoretically, a kind of “cocktail” RNA can be produced for a variety of virus versions.

No, there is no significant difference in the symptoms of those who have had corona from the new strain, and the treatment is the same treatment.

As of today, the mutation has not been found among Israelis.