Thread by @DrEricDing

JUST IN—The new “variant” discovered in UK of the #SARSCoV2 virus is indeed a mutation within the critical “spike” protein portion of the virus used to infect human cells. UK health minister warned on Monday it may have increased transmission. #COVID19 🧵 reuters.com/article/health…

2) “British scientists are trying to establish whether the rapid spread in southern England of a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is linked to key mutations they have detected in the strain, they said on Tuesday.

3) “"Efforts are under way to confirm whether or not any of these mutations are contributing to increased transmission," the scientists, from the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium,

4) “The new variant, which UK scientists have named "VUI – 202012/01" includes a mutation in the viral genome region encoding the spike protein, which - in theory - could result in COVID-19 spreading more easily between people.”

5) We do *not* know if it will affect any of the multitude of vaccines out there being tested. We should assume it probably won’t since the vaccine trains the body to develop immunity to the entire spike protein, & not just one part.

Here was UK health Secretary earlier alert:

https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1338518190599663622

6) 17 changes.

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1339241107822178305

6) we should also be very careful about letting this virus linger too long.

https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1335419078446551041