New coronavirus variant: What do we know?

[Still Waters]

The rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus has been blamed for the introduction of strict tier four mixing rules for millions of people, harsher restrictions on mixing at Christmas in England, Scotland and Wales, and other countries placing the UK on a travel ban.

So how has it gone from being non-existent to the most common form of the virus in parts of England in a matter of months?

The government's advisers on new infections have "moderate" confidence that it is more able to transmit than other variants.

All the work is at an early stage, contains huge uncertainties and a long list of unanswered questions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55388846

[RoofGardener]

Oh GREAT ! 

Lets hope the new vaccines are effective against it. 

[Space Commander Travis]

What do we know? That viruses mutate in order to facilitate their ability to replicate, and that this has been known to science ever since viruses became known about. It really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Particularly as, as even the UK's Health Supreme Leader Chris Whitty has had to grudgingly admit, the all-new, even more scary variant does not appear to be any more deadly than the existing, extremely non-deadly to all but a very tiny percentage, variant. And, if anyone who understands mathematics would realize, if something spreads so much more rapidly, so that even more register as positive by the (so unreliable as to be virtually useless) Test, then the proportion of actual Cases (used in the correct way, i.e. those who require medical treatment), and even more actual deaths attributed to it, are an even smaller percentage than before. So therefore, new variant - spreads more quickly - what they always do - not scary or terrifying at all. 

[Brandy333]

28 minutes ago, RoofGardener said:

Oh GREAT ! 

Lets hope the new vaccines are effective against it. 

I just hope those of us in the general population can get the new vaccine before the mutated covid gets to the US.   I've read the vaccine is not expected for the general population until next spring or early summer.   

[acute]

Quote

That viruses mutate in order to facilitate their ability to replicate, and that this has been known to science ever since viruses became known about.

[re: bolded] 

No, they don't.

Didn't you read my reply to your "Dear Acute" comment?

Virus mutations happen by chance. Completely at random.

[Golden Duck]

2 hours ago, Space Commander Travis said:

What do we know? That viruses mutate in order to facilitate their ability to replicate, and that this has been known to science ever since viruses became known about. It really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Particularly as, as even the UK's Health Supreme Leader Chris Whitty has had to grudgingly admit, the all-new, even more scary variant does not appear to be any more deadly than the existing, extremely non-deadly to all but a very tiny percentage, variant. And, if anyone who understands mathematics would realize, if something spreads so much more rapidly, so that even more register as positive by the (so unreliable as to be virtually useless) Test, then the proportion of actual Cases (used in the correct way, i.e. those who require medical treatment), and even more actual deaths attributed to it, are an even smaller percentage than before. So therefore, new variant - spreads more quickly - what they always do - not scary or terrifying at all. 

[bee]

 

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-to-know-about-mutation-and-covid-19#The-new-coronavirus-is-mutating,-but-very-slowly

quote...

• Every virus mutates; it’s part of the virus life cycle. Those shifts and changes aren’t always a big deal.
• The new coronavirus is an RNA virus: a collection of genetic material packed inside a protein shell.
• RNA viruses, like the flu and measles, are more prone to changes and mutations compared with DNA viruses, such as herpes, smallpox, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

end quote
 

viruses naturally 'mutate'...  but like everything else about this particular SARS-CoV-2 virus there is hype that converts into political actions that erode rights and freedoms on a level never before experienced in most Western Nations... even during war... despite the fact that complications that lead to death only affect a tiny % of the population almost exclusively within two main vulnerable groups - the elderly and those with other underlying health problems... 

snippits from the article linked to .... (which was written in June 2020 - so this development with SARS-CoV-2 in the UK at the moment is in line with what can be expected ... )

 

Quote

But mutations aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Every virus mutates; it’s part of the virus life cycle. Those shifts and changes aren’t always a big deal.

In some cases, those mutations may actually lead to a weaker virus. Usually, though, the changes are so slight that there’s no noticeable difference in the disease’s transmission and fatality rates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In the world of RNA viruses, change is the norm. We expect RNA viruses to change frequently. That’s just their nature,” said Dr. Mark Schleiss, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and investigator with the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In total, the researchers identified 14 strains of SARS-CoV-2 and released their findings to help those working on vaccines and treatments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s also unclear whether the new mutation infects and sickens people differently. At this time, the illness and hospitalization rates caused by the new variation seems to be similar.

More data is needed to understand the implications of the new mutations, like whether reinfections after recovery are possible, and whether the changes could affect the vaccines and treatments in development.

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by bee

[RoofGardener]

Well, it looks like the UK is under Bartlemeys Ban. 

Flights and Ferries to/from most European nations have been shut down. (by the Europeans). 

The police have initiated 'Operation Stack', parking thousands of lorries on the M20 to avoid logjams at the ports. 

The supermarkets have stated that they have ample stocks. So expect panic buying as a consequence ! 

[odas]

1 hour ago, RoofGardener said:

Well, it looks like the UK is under Bartlemeys Ban. 

Flights and Ferries to/from most European nations have been shut down. (by the Europeans). 

The police have initiated 'Operation Stack', parking thousands of lorries on the M20 to avoid logjams at the ports. 

The supermarkets have stated that they have ample stocks. So expect panic buying as a consequence ! 

Roofy, even within the EU borders will have to be closed again. Noone really knows what the ef is going on with this virus. The ONLY thing we can do is trust science even if they DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EF THEY ARE DOING. If we take matters in our own hands we are all doomed. Be safe over there man. 

[RoofGardener]

To hell with THAT,  @odas. I am most CERTAINLY taking matters into my own hands. 

I have decided to stay in my cottage for the next 10 days, and not see ANYONE. 

I'm also stocking up on food and ammunition. ¹

 

1) Ummm.. we're not actually ALLOWED ammunition in the UK, so I am going to substitute it with chocolate bars !