Thread by @Goldammerfeder

New mink #SARSCoV2 mutation could potentially jeopardize vaccine effectiveness.

12 humans with new mutation identified, who had a reduced sensitivity to antibodies.

#Denmark

nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2020-1…

For some weeks it was known that virus spreads and mutates quickly among minks. When transmitted from human to mink or vice versa larger mutations occur.

A previous mutation was found in >160 humans.

Danish government announced to have all minks killed to avoid jeopardizing vaccine effectiveness.

Additional restrictions are introduced in Northern Denmark where the affected mink farms are located.

.@KareMolbak at press conference:
“We have seen several #minkmutation|s.
In cluster 5 we have seen 3 mutations in amino acid and 1 change/loss on outside. These mutations are around the spike protein that is used for vaccine development”

“In the laboratory this specific mutation doesn’t show the same degree of response to patient’s antibodies as the by humans transmitted virus does.
We see a clear difference. [...]
Luckily, we still see some response to antibodies.”

@apsmunro
@BallouxFrancois
Thread about the mink mutation that may impact vaccine development. ⬆️
Translating the press conference atm.
I thought you might be interested.

“But the decreased response to antibodies is enough to increase our risk evaluation [...] because it would be a big concern for public health if we would see further mutations.
This doesn’t mean that vaccines wouldn’t be effective at this point of time.”

Question: Why didn’t @SSI_dk raise the risk already in September when it became clear that virus mutates within mink farms?
@KareMolbak:
“The worst case scenario is that the pandemic starts all over again here from Denmark. This is why we should take this extreme serious.”

“This means that we could lose our gained immunity, by infection or by vaccination and we would need to start all over again, because the virus is so different from the virus we are already dealing with.
This is why we are reacting with this very serious risk evaluation.”

“Why haven’t we done this earlier?
Because in the tests we have made previous mutations haven’t shown biological effects. We could see there are mutations, some had several mutations, but it didn’t change the virus’ behavior in a Petri dish or in animals.”

“We can see now that in a Petri dish the antibodies are not having the same effect.
Does this mean everything is lost? No, it does not.
Because we still see some neutralization by antibodies and vaccinations are luckily still working and are stimulating an immune response.”

“Not everything is lost yet. But it is important that we stop the spreading of this mink related virus, because it differs more and more from the virus that spreads between humans.”

Q: How many people are infected with this new mutation, with #COVID20?
A: ~50% of infections in Northern Denmark (Nordjylland) are infected with a mink mutation, from this 50% approximately 9% have the cluster 5 mutation.
➡️ ~4,5% of infected in Nordjylland

Throwing in the link to the press conference for all interested (in danish)

…nkkpprodstorage.blob.core.windows.net/videos/Video/P…

Will continue translating when I found some alcohol to help me through this. 🍺🍷

Q: If you say vaccines are still working, isn’t the closing of mink production in Denmark worth billions of danish crowns a total overreaction?
A: It is not @SSI_dk that makes this decision alone. This is a global pandemic.

[...] as soon as we found out there is a problem with antibodies, we notified the government, the public health institute and WHO etc. The others also make risk evaluations. We see a serious risk here.

Q: You stated the government acted promptly when notified on Monday. But SSI pointed out the risk several times within the last months, like in their statement on 11th of September “these mutations could potentially result in herd immunity or vaccines won’t work”.

Aren’t you acting too late?
A: This new risk evaluation is not only based on potential scenarios what could be, but on absolutely clear laboratory findings.
This is why the risk evaluation was tightened now.

Q: Will you be able to stop the transmission of this mutation?
A: Yes, it is possible to contain the spread.
There are 2 elements to the strategy.
First, remove the reservoir, minks, to prevent new infections.
Second, ensure infection control within the community.

We can use the same tools we are using since spring. And we have a lot of well known tools we can use to contain the spread.
We don’t see a violent spread in Northern Denmark (Nordjylland) and hence we evaluated it can be done.

Q: Stop the spread so the mutation can’t come out to the rest of the world?
A: Yes. When we stop the spread in Nordjylland and in other areas of Denmark, it won’t spread to the rest of the world.

(end of the press conference - I’ll sum up the measures below)

Announced measures:
Danish police will take over the coordination of the mink culling.
So far Danish Veterinary and Food Administration was coordinating it. Danish police is strongly involved in the pandemic response, so this is not unexpected, given the circumstances.

Capacities of containers and other equipment needed for the culling is organized.
It will be executed as fast as possible.
But it will take time. We are talking about up to 17 million minks.

All authorities will concentrate their test & trace efforts to Northern Denmark.

Testing capacities will be moved there.
We have done this several times in Denmark, moving test capacities where needed - and we have a huge testing capacity in place. ⬇️

https://twitter.com/goldammerfeder/status/1314299854395502592

Just last week it was announced, that our tracing system is capable to get in touch with contacts of 2.000 positive tested each day and is to be extended to cope with 3.000 positive tested.
We are at the moment at around 1.000 positive tests per day.
So this should be convered.

There will be stringent restrictions announced for Northern Denmark tomorrow to reduce contacts further to reduce the spread.

(I’ll keep you posted.)

I’m fairly optimistic.
If anyone can handle it, it’s the danish authorities together with the danish community.
We got this.

Press conference from the following day ⬇️

https://twitter.com/goldammerfeder/status/1324482007699771392