New Strain of SARS-CoV-2

[George K]

Oh good...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/19/uk/christmas-covid-strain-restrictions-intl-gbr/index.html

London (CNN) — Parts of Britain will go back into lockdown during Christmas after a newly identified strain of Covid-19 proved to spread more quickly than previous strains of the virus.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday announced a series of stricter coronavirus restrictions, tightening rules around household mixing that were due to be relaxed over Christmas in London and southeast England.
The PM broke the news Saturday that London and the southeast of England, where cases are surging, will go into Tier 4 restrictions, similar to a lockdown, on Sunday.

"The spread is being driven by the new variant of the virus," Johnson said in a hastily called press conference. "It appears to spread more easily and may be up to 70% more transmissable than the earlier strain."

England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, warned Saturday that a newly identified variant of Covid-19 "can spread more quickly" than previous strains of the virus.

[Copper]

So, it's not just for slow people anymore

Will this strain discriminate based on the same skin color or will it switch to a new color?

[LuFins Dad]

And how will the vaccine(s) hold up against this strain?

I tend to think they should be fine since they are really going after the protein spikes, but it's still a question worth asking...

[Aqua Letifer]

@lufins-dad said in New Strain of SARS-CoV-2:

And how will the vaccine(s) hold up against this strain?

I tend to think they should be fine since they are really going after the protein spikes, but it's still a question worth asking...

Depends on how it differs, but generally speaking it should be fine.

[89th]

The best time for an adversary to launch a biological attack is when the world is already saturated by news of a pandemic. Muffled by noise.

[bachophile]

Read my post on antigenic drift.

Before u start panicking.

[Loki]

@89th said in New Strain of SARS-CoV-2:

The best time for an adversary to launch a biological attack is when the world is already saturated by news of a pandemic. Muffled by noise.

Could be suicidal so it depends on who.

[Mik]

Likely those guys hiding on Mars have decided we're not worth messing with.

[Axtremus]

BBC has a pretty good write up about this new strain:

New coronavirus variant: What do we know? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55388846

Will the vaccines work against the new variant?
Almost certainly yes, or at least for now.

Hope it stays that way.