Thread by @DrEricDing

WORRISOME ON *E484* MUTATION—New study from blood of 44 people infected in 1st wave in S Africa🇿🇦 was tested against new #SARSCoV2 variant #B1135 (501Y.V2)—found antibodies from **21 of 44 did not recognize** the new B1125 variant—Almost half! #COVID19 🧵

2) This new E484K study is by @nicd_sa - respected research group. That said, antibody immunity is not all of immunity. T cells also offer spike protein recognizing immunity too (not measured).

Meanwhile—other studies on E484K immune escape—it’s in both 🇿🇦 & Brazil 🇧🇷 variants.

https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1348606324901359619

3) Why are we so worried about E484K? In another recent study by @jbloom_lab, E484 mutation (inside the #SARSCoV2’s spike’s critical receptor binding domain) seemed to escape neutralizing antibodies in 9 of 11 patients, some with 10x reductions in neutralizing ability!

4) Moreover, in the latest E484K by @nicd_sa - not only 48% (of 44 formerly infected people tested) had “complete immune escape” to the SA variant #B1351 (not B1135, typo earlier), but 90% of the people tested showed reduced immunity! That’s pretty large fraction.

5) Dr Andersen is right that we should still take the vaccine. Some immunity is much better than none. That said, he is also worried about all the new mutations cropping up, and rightfully so.

https://twitter.com/k_g_andersen/status/1351278058544668672

6) Also earlier, new study for #B117 (UK 🇬🇧 variant) found 3.8x fold lower neutralizing ability of blood of formerly infected patients against B117 variant compared to common variant. Worrisome too.

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1351233027410718720

7) A UK report that suggests the #B117 variant seems to have a higher relative increase in infection attack rates compared to wild type (common strains) for kids 0-9.

➡️B117 increased attack rates across all age groups, but largest % inc in youngest kids.

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1347745261670584321