The variant has mutated

[Gibbon]

I heard on the radio this morning that the Kent variant was showing some signs of the South Africa one.

The same chap also said that it's likely the South Africa variant in the UK was due to spontaneous mutation.

All very much expected, this is what viruses do. I still firmly believe that we will have to have an annual vaccination, like with flu, to guard against the most prevalent variant and we will have to live with it rather than expect to eradicate it. The cost of an annual jab will mean that, like the flu jab, it will be free to some groups and chargeable to others.

Trust me you wouldn't envious of those in the free groups, you're old or have been shafted (health wise). A couple of years back when collecting some meds a woman asked me how come I was entitled to free prescriptions. I was feeling particularly grumpy that day and replied quite verbosely "Because I'm recovering from cancer, want to join club"?

[ladymuck]

I heard on the radio this morning that the Kent variant was showing some signs of the South Africa one.

The same chap also said that it's likely the South Africa variant in the UK was due to spontaneous mutation.

All very much expected, this is what viruses do. I still firmly believe that we will have to have an annual vaccination, like with flu, to guard against the most prevalent variant and we will have to live with it rather than expect to eradicate it. The cost of an annual jab will mean that, like the flu jab, it will be free to some groups and chargeable to others.

[SueEllen]

The Kent variant has mutated but keeps those borders open....

(Quarantine on the red list starts on 15 February.)

COVID-19: Mutation of Kent variant detected in samples could help virus evade immune system | Science & Tech News | Sky News

A mutation of the Kent COVID variant that has been detected in some samples could help the virus evade the immune system, scientists have found.

The mutation, which has been labelled E484K, has also been found in the South Africa variant of the coronavirus.

It was found in 11 samples of some 200,000 that have been sequenced.

Sky's science correspondent Thomas Moore said it was a "worrying development" as it could mean those previously infected could be re-infected and could reduce the effectiveness of COVID vaccines.

He said the evolution of E484K meant the virus had effectively "developed a superpower" which enabled it to not only infect cells, but also to invade the immune system

"It changes shape so antibodies don't recognise it in the same way, and the fact that this mutation has been now picked up in some samples of the Kent variant is a twist - a worrying development.

"It potentially means that people who have had the infection before, might be re-infected and also that it might reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine - not completely; the vaccine would still protects against serious infection and death - but perhaps that it wouldn't stop it spreading."