British scientists warn of 'horrific' new COVID-19 variant; only 10 cases so far
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
British experts are warning the world about a “horrific” new COVID-19 variant from Botswana that is being called the most mutated version of the virus yet.
According to a Daily Mail report , so far there have only been 10 cases of the strain, which could eventually be called ‘Nu’ — three in Botswana, six in South Africa and one case in Hong Kong — but it carries 32 mutations, suggesting it is highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant.
Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said the strain likely came from a lingering infection in a patient with a compromised immune system, possibly someone with undiagnosed AIDS.
Dr. Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College, who was the person to identify its spread, described the variant’s combination of mutations as “horrific.”
Peacock warned that B.1.1.529, its scientific name, had the potential to be “worse than nearly anything else about,” including the dominant Delta strain.
The good news is that scientists told the Mail its unprecedented number of mutations might make it “unstable,” and prevent it from becoming widespread.
They add there’s no need to be “overly concerned” because there were no signs yet that it was spreading rapidly but they are keeping an eye on it.
Balloux told the Mail it was likely the variant would be much more able to dodge antibodies than Delta.
“For the time being, it should be closely monitored. But there’s no need to be overly concerned unless it starts going up in frequency,” he said.
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How nice, Covid is having grandchildren who are crazier than their uncle.
This is what happens when people do not get vaccinated. The Delta & other variants were just the beginning. Now it starts to get worse.
Right, have you checked the number of breakthrough cases? Being vaccinated is no longer guaranteed protection from Covid.
But big pharma sends their love; so long as we keep sending them billions in tax payer dollars. Whatever you do don't ask them why they haven't come up with variations of the vaccine to cover the Delta and other forms of Covid. Just roll up your sleeves, fork over the tax payer money, and take the shot however often they tell you. Don't worry that the time between shots is decreasing. Just worry about the tax payer dollars not running out.
I will believe leftists are concerned about Covid when they call for the southern border to be shut down (Otherwise know as the largest super spreader event in the world); the end to illegal immigration (The vast majority of which are unvaccinated); and the economy to shut down (Funny how Democrat Governors were so damn eager to shut the economy down when Trump was in charge. Things are far worse now; but not a single peep from them Democrats about shutting the economy down again. Could it be that having a D in the White House suddenly makes shutting down the economy unpalatable?)
So far all they have shown us is their blatant hypocrisy
Vaccinations never were a 100% guarantee. But surely you understand that it is better to be vaccinated than not. This is an argument for getting your booster shot.
You know Ronin, some people actually think in terms outside of partisan politics. Some can find Biden's actions on the border to be a failure while encouraging the vaccinated to get vaccinated for their own good and for the general good of society.
Shutting down the border is not political, it's just common sense. These untested and unvaxxed illegals have been transported all over the country
Of course it is common sense. What is political is presuming that all those on 'the left' are not serious about the need for vaccinations because Biden has inexplicably failed to secure the border.
Vaccination was never a guarantee. No medication is guaranteed to be 100% effective. Vaccination just offers a better chance of protection against covid than none at all.
You do realize research and clinical trials must be performed before a vaccine against variants can be developed and cleared for use, right?
Are you saying you wouldn't follow the recommended dosage guidelines of a medication?
I hope you don't take any medications whatsoever, not even over the counter meds. Otherwise, that would be hypocritical.
What does that have to do with the current issue being discussed? Or do you have to try and make everything political?
How so? Granted we still have a ways to go. But things have improved since vaccinations began. Of course, new variants pose the risk of undoing any positive progress made.
It never was. Many things we do as protection are not 100% but they’re still worth doing. Police aren’t guaranteed protection from crime. Bullet proof vests aren’t 100%. Eating right and exercising aren’t 100% protection from having a heart attack. Wearing a seatbelt is no guarantee you won’t die in a car crash. You can go on and on. They’re all still good ideas.
Being vaccinated gives a person substantial protection against Covid, but it also diminishes the spread of the disease, and reduces the opportunity for the kind of mutation described in this article.
Big Pharma is already pretty big. Covid didn’t really change so much. They don’t even really make most of their money on vaccines because most people get one or two doses and it’s over. They make their real money on shit you take everyday like arthritis meds, blood thinners, and so on.
And anyway, government subsidizes lots of industries. Why is this one special?
So far, they haven’t needed it. However, the MRNA technology may allow them to create a new vaccine pretty quickly if we need it.
People already get flu shots every year, and it’s not a big deal.
There are undoubtedly things the government could be doing better. But I don’t think it’s necessary for us to freak out about the vaccines.
"The good news is that scientists told the Mail its unprecedented number of mutations might make it “unstable,” and prevent it from becoming widespread."
Only until the first unvaccinated illegal immigrant carrier hits our southern border.
We already have many unvaccinated Americans. Why do you blame immigrants instead of your own?
I've had Covid, both shots, and the booster a few weeks ago.....hopefully that will be sufficient. It's time the idiot left gets serious about fighting this disease instead of being obnoxious virtue signaling scolds.
There are tens of millions of people in the stereotype you deem 'the left' who genuinely encourage vaccinations and preventative measures be taken for obvious reasons. These people do not control the Biden administration's actions / inactions on the border.
Don't just lump things together in such a simplistic fashion. If you find someone who actually supports allowing unvaccinated individuals through our borders then criticize the hell out of them. To do so in terms of a coarse stereotype is faulty reasoning.
The Biden administration has done little to nothing to close the border. I have to assume that you support his "inactions"
Why would you presume that? First of all you presume I am a D (or at least a Biden apologist). Second, you presume that all Ds support everything Biden does. Third, I explicitly deemed Biden’s border policy as a failure:
The above was in an earlier reply to you.
One could say the same about the "idiot" right. Other than that, thank you for having both shots + the booster and being a 3rd Rock citizen.
So, it’s in Botswana and South Africa, which is fine. They’re adjacent, at least. Seems local. No worries.
But it’s also in Hong Kong. And we shouldn’t be worried about it spreading? Hong Kong is about 7,000 miles from South Africa. It didn’t gently creep over a border. Some infected somebody got on a plane.
Hong Kong is also a densely populated city of over 7.5 million people and one of the busiest travel hubs in the world. We shouldn’t be concerned?