WHO says new Covid snoring in the UK appears to be more contagious

World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan on 12 January 2020 in Geneva.

COFFRINI FABRICE AFP through Getty Images

World Health Organization officials said Monday that the coronavirus is extinguishing “at a much slower rate” than seasonal flu, even as UK officials announced this weekend that a new mutation of the virus is allow it to spread more easily.

Seasonal flu is so frequent that scientists need to constantly develop new vaccines to protect the population against the virus each year. UK officials have told the WHO that the Covid-19 vaccines appear to be just as effective against the new snoring, but more research is needed. While all viruses move naturally, not all viruses make a virus more contagious or more contagious.

“SARS-CoV-2 is circulating at a much slower rate than the flu,” WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said at a news conference. “And so far, even though we have seen a number of changes and changes, none of them have had a significant effect on the susceptibility of the virus to any of the medicines, drugs, or vaccines that are being used. right now, and one hopes that will continue to be the case. “

WHO officials reaffirmed that UK officials have said the new variant could be up to 70% more transmissible than the original strain of the virus. Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergency program, said it was unclear whether the increase in transmission in the UK was due to human mutations or behavior.

“We have seen an estimate of a small increase in breeding numbers with the UK,” he said, adding that the virus is spreading faster, which may mean that it is more contagious or spreading easier in colder months. It could also mean that people are getting a little tired of following public health protocols. “It remains to be seen how much of that is. as a result of the specific genetic modification in the new version. I suspect some. “

Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said UK officials estimate that the mutation has increased the virus’ transmission rate from 1.1 to 1.5. That means that each person on the variable is estimated to include another 1.5 people, up from 1.1 when captured by the original version.

She said officials are examining three elements of the new variable. She said scientists are looking into whether it spreads more easily, whether it causes more or less of an illness, and how the antibody reacts to infection. Van Kerkhove and others confirmed that the new version does not appear to have any effect on the effectiveness of Covid vaccines.

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