In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
A new variant of the coronavirus was detected in France in December. It was called IHU for now, it contains several dozen mutations. Should we be concerned? – Until the WHO or the ECDC look at it more and find that we are dealing with an interest or a problematic variant, it simply is. And there is nothing unusual about it – says Dr. Tomasz Dzieiątkowski, a virologist.
- A new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with a large number of mutations has been detected in France
- The fact that a new mutant was found and isolated is nothing sensational, says Dr. Tomasz Dzieiątkowski
- We should watch the situation develop, but neither the WHO nor the ECDC have considered this variant worthy of attention yet, ‘adds the virologist
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Adrian Dąbek, Medonet: In France, a new variant was detected in December, so far named IHU, after the name of the center in which it was identified. What does this mean for us?
Dr hab. Tomasz Dzieiątkowski: I can’t say anything specific about this variant until the World Health Organization makes a statement. But what can I say – virtually every patient, sooner or later, will be able to detect a mutant of the coronavirus. Whether it will be a variant of interest or a variant that raises concerns, it is not known yet. The fact that a new mutant has been found and isolated is not sensational. It is as if you are making a sensation about having a baby with green eyes.
- A new variant of the coronavirus. It may be more infectious and immune to vaccines
The new variant contains 46 mutations. And so it is assumed that the “threat” of subsequent variants is measured precisely by the number of mutations. Is it really so?
If we were to look even through the prism of people, then each of us is a mutant, although such a term may seem pejorative. We are different from each other, each of us has a different genotype. At some point, with the variability of all viruses, not only SARS-CoV-2, single nucleotide mutations, the so-called SNP can be seen sooner or later. Does anything come of it? Not. They just are. These are mostly so-called silent mutations. Only their potential accumulation can cause something to change in the virus. Something like this can last for weeks or months. There will be regions in the viral genome that will be hypervariable, there will also be conserved regions, there will be regions where these mutations will make a difference, and there will be regions that will not affect anything. Why are we interested in mutations in the gene encoding the S protein? Because vaccine antibodies are synthesized against this protein. Accordingly, if there is less similarity of the protein in the new variant to that targeted by the vaccines, there will be less binding strength for the antibodies.
Please remember one thing. If we cannot defeat the virus with quality, which is the situation where we have super-matched antibodies, we can always beat it with the quantity. So the more antibodies resulting from, for example, a booster dose, the number of these antibodies will inactivate this virus, despite the lower binding strength.
So, to put it a bit jokingly, we are not in danger of extinction?
Certainly not. There is no pathogen that is 100 percent. deadly or pathogenic to some species. Even with rabies, there have been twenty-odd cases where a patient recovered without vaccination or serum. These are very rare cases, but they do happen. Of course, I do not wish anyone to be the twenty-third or fourth coincidence.
- Omikron variant – everything we know about it
This will not be the case with SARS-CoV-2. Not all will become infected. And even of those who become infected, not all will be hospitalized, and of those who are hospitalized, not all will die.
And here I have a request to the media. In fact, new variants of the coronavirus should not be of interest to anyone but virologists and epidemiologists. They are treated in the same way, they are diagnosed in the same way, they are vaccinated in the same way. For the clinician who will treat such a patient, it does not matter whether the patient has Delta, Omikron, or will have a potential Omega variant in the future. The procedure is the same.
It will come back to the new variant. We are waiting for the relevant world or European services to speak out?
We should, of course, observe how the situation develops. But until the WHO or the ECDC look at it more and find it to be an interest or a problematic option, it simply is. And there is nothing unusual about it.
Do you want to test your COVID-19 immunity after vaccination? Have you been infected and want to check your antibody levels? See the COVID-19 immunity test package, which you will perform at Diagnostics network points.
Also read:
- Why do young people die? The doctor explains the internet campaign # Nagle21
- How long do vaccines protect against COVID-19? A new study checks several connections
- Two new symptoms of Omicron. More people report them to doctors
- These are the first symptoms of Omikron infection [LIST]
- Who is the most resistant to the Omikron variant?
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.