Thread by @DrDenaGrayson

🚨WORRISOME: infections in the UK soar with mutant #coronavirus strain B.1.1.7 that appears to spread more easily between people.

#B117 strain acquired 17 mutations *all at once* (including 8 in the spike protein gene)👉🏼never seen before in this virus. 1/
sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/m…

GOOD NEWS: the @WHO says the #coronavirus vaccine should still work against this new variant spreading quickly in the UK.

The B.1.1.7 variant may be more transmissible, but there's no evidence it increases the “severity associated with this disease.”🙏🏼
globalnews.ca/news/7535146/c…

⚠️It's NOT the first time the #coronavirus mutated. As more people become immune—via infection or a #vaccine—the virus is under selective pressure to evade the immune response.

This could become like flu, where we have to update our vaccine each year.

https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1308843921586483202?s=20

B.1.1.7 first appeared on 9/20 and accounted for ~26% of UK cases in mid-November. By 12/8 *over 60% of all the cases in London were the new variant.*

@BorisJohnson claims that these mutations may have increased the #coronavirus’ transmissibility (ability to spread) by 70%.😷🦠

🦠NOT GOOD: Eight of the 17 mutations are in the gene that encodes the spike protein on the viral surface. This is a KEY TARGET for the immune system, whether via a #vaccine or natural infection, to help prevent the #coronavirus from entering cells.

#COVID19 #B117

‼️Two of the 8 spike protein gene mutations in #B117 are particularly worrisome:

🧬N501Y: increases how tightly the spike protein binds to the ACE2 receptor (entry point into cells)

🧬69-70del: found in strains that eluded the immune response in some immunocompromised patients

🧬Scientists fear that, if the N501Y mutation allows the variant #coronavirus to bind more tightly to the ACE2 receptor on human cells, it could make the virus as good at infecting kids as adults.

But this is just speculation for now, so no need to panic.

https://twitter.com/kakape/status/1341050330176479232?s=20

Further reason for concern for these #coronavirus mutations comes from #SouthAfrica, where a lineage different from the UK variant that also has the *same N501Y mutation* in its spike gene "seems to be spreading much faster."😷🦠

#COVID19

Worse, scientists fear the UK B.1.1.7 variant could cause more severe #COVID19 disease, based on anecdotal evidence that the South African #coronavirus variant may be doing that in young people and those who are otherwise healthy.

BUT we need more data to be sure.🧐

🙏🏼The rapid spread of the #B117 strain *may be chance*. Scientists thought that another strain that spread rapidly from Spain was more transmissible, but it was just carried home by travelers after vacation. Something similar might be happening with B.1.1.7, per @angie_rasmussen.

Some good news: scientists also previously thought that the variant from Spain had a 50% higher mortality rate, but that turned out to be “purely messy, biased data in the early days.”

So, we need to wait for the data before we can make any conclusions about this new mutant.🧬

For the N501Y mutant: more young South Africans may be getting sick b/c many more are getting infected via post-exam celebrations that were #SuperSpreader events.😷

▶️Scientific studies are needed to see how the mutations in this new variant compares with previous variants.🧫🦠

BOTTOM LINE: the #vaccine still appears to work against this new #coronavirus variant, but we don't yet know if it spreads more easily or causes more severe #COVID19.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: continue to avoid gatherings & #WearAMask and get vaccinated ASAP.💉
sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/m…