Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson Said today (Friday) in a press briefing that the British variant of the corona virus may be linked to higher mortality. Johnson added that all the current evidence has shown that both vaccines remain effective against the old and new strains, but explained that in the current morbidity data the closure restrictions cannot be eased.
Boris Johnson announces UK entry into closure. Photo: Reuters
“We have been informed today that in addition to spreading more rapidly, there now appears to be evidence that the new mutation – first discovered in London and the South East of England – may be linked to higher mortality rates,” he said.
The UK’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Valance, added that patients with the British mutation are at increased risk compared to those infected with the original virus. “If you were to take a man in his sixties, the average risk is that for every 1,000 people infected, about ten would be expected to die. With the new version, for every 1,000 people infected, about 13 or 14 could die.”
Valance noted that as far as the Brazilian and South African mutations are concerned, there is no evidence that they cause more infection.
The British and South African mutation of the corona virus, illustration (Photo: Reuters)
As a reminder, the World Health Organization announced this week that 60 countries had reported to it that they had located patients in the British mutation on their territory. In addition, about 23 countries reported the presence of the South African mutation. At the same time, a new study published this week showed that Pfizer’s vaccine may protect against the British mutation. The encouraging results come from a blood sample analysis of participants in the company’s trial, after Pfizer announced last week that the vaccine is also effective against another mutation in the virus, which is found in South Africa and is similar to the British mutation.
The current study, published on BioRxiv.org but not yet officially tested by other researchers, was conducted on a synthetic virus that contained about 10 changes that characterize the British mutation compared to the original virus. The new study brings with it further hope, as the number of daily deaths in the UK is breaking records every day. In addition, research shows that they will not have to develop new vaccines for the time being.