A new variant of COVID-19 “double mutant” identified in the bay area, explains Dr. Stanford, his findings

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – The first case of this new variant COVID-19, which is found here in the bay area, has been confirmed.

A team of Stanford researchers identified the strain native to India.

The Stanford doctor who runs the lab who just identified this “double mutant” variant, Dr. Benjamin Pinsky, joined ABC7’s “Getting Answers” ​​show.

First, describe when and how your team caused this particular strain?

“We analyze all the positive aspects that come through the Stanford Clinical Virology Laboratory to find mutations associated with worrying variants,” said Dr. Pinsky. “Therefore, we initially identified it through this process, using R2PCR, similar to what we do for standard COVID-19 diagnoses. And so far we have sequenced a case and confirmed that it was, in fact, one of these variants of double mutants that were recently identified outside India “.

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Why is this double mutant variant called?

“It has two somewhat well-described mutations,” Dr. Pinsky said. “In the peak protein of the virus, this includes the L452R mutation, which is found in the California variant, and then has a mutation in another position, E484, which is found in South Africa and the Brazilian variant.”

Is it more dangerous? More transmissible?

“We don’t know yet, although these mutations I’ve talked about have been associated with greater transmissibility,” Dr. Pinsky said. “In fact, in India this new variant accounts for between 15 and 20% of cases in a particular state.”

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Do you know if current vaccines will be effective against it?

“I don’t think we know if vaccines will be less effective against this variant,” Dr. Pinsky said. “We have information on experiments on individual mutations that suggest that antibodies will be less able to neutralize this variant of India.”

Despite uncertainty about the impacts of these new variants, Dr. Pinsky still urges the public to get vaccinated.

“It’s important to keep in mind that vaccines are very effective in preventing serious illness, so everyone should continue to be vaccinated as soon as possible,” Pinsky said.

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