The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is not over yet and the new highly mutated Covid C.1.2 variety discovered in South Africa is a testament to how dangerously the virus can adapt to prevent vaccines when the world decides to “reopen” prematurely .
Variant C.1.2 has been called the most mutated variant in the world since the beginning of the pandemic.
When vaccines appeared last year, scientists warned that the blows were not a single solution to the pandemic and urged people to follow with caution even after inoculation..
AFP
The coronavirus has natural abilities to mutate depending on its environment. Its goal is to survive, like all pathogens and creatures on Earth, and for the same reason it continues to acquire new infectious properties and poses a danger in densely populated regions such as India.
What is the new variant of Covid C.1.2?
The new coronavirus variant has been identified as a variant of potential interest (VOI) and is part of the PANGO C.1.2 lineage.. The variant was identified by scientists at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) along with the KwaZulu-Natal Research and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) in South Africa.
AFP
Where has the new Covid C.1.2 variant been detected?
To date, C.1.2 has been found by authorities in China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, England, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.
AFP
What does the new Covid C.1.2 mutation mean?
A pending peer-reviewed study on MedRxiv explains how the substantial C.1.2 mutation has moved away from the characteristics of the original virus lineage which caused the first wave of infections in South Africa and the world.
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Why is the Covid C.1.2 mutation scary?
If a virus mutates beyond a certain point, current vaccines may show lower efficacy or may not provide protection. The only way to prevent the mutation is to speed up vaccination and induce herd immunity, which at the moment seems unlikely due to the inequity of vaccines worldwide.
AFP
In addition, the C.1.2 lineage has a mutation rate of 41.8 mutations each year, almost twice the mutation capacity of current variants. The mutation is also in the same trajectory of the Beta and Delta variants in South Africa in terms of genome sequencing.
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Will the vaccines protect you against the new variant of Covid C.1.2?
The best defense against Covid-19 is vaccines, whatever are available in your area. However, mutations “N440K” and “Y449H” known to have escaped antibodies have been detected in sequences of C.1.2 variants, implying that vaccines may not have robust protection against the new one. variant.
What can you do to stay safe?
Practice basic hygiene by washing your hands regularly, especially before and after meals. Also, continue to wear a tight-fitting mask even if you are completely vaccinated. Highly infectious variants do not take too long to spread, as seen in the devastating second wave of Covid in India earlier this year caused by the Delta variant.