London, the new Covid strain is more contagious

There is a new strain of Covid that is rampant between London and the South of Britain and it is up to 70% more contagious than the known version of the disease. This was stated by Boris Johnson, calling the variant of the virus “highly transmissible” and forcing the affected area to a new level 4 block.
The assumption is that such a strain – called VUI202012/01 – has spread to London and the South East as early as last September. In fact, as reported by the British press, in a few months the total cases of Covid have more than doubled and the data show a sharp increase in hospital admissions throughout London and in the south.

The British premier stressed that these are initial data, but that is all we have at the moment, adding that we could see the transmissibility index increase, considering that several cases are asymptomatic and the new strain is spreading “very quickly”.

“Viruses are constantly mutating, but the new variant contains 23 different changes, many of which are associated with the protein produced by the virusSaid Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientist. “This is an unusually large number of mutations, even present in areas of the virus known to be the way it binds and enters cells.”

As early as mid-November, about 27 percent of cases in London and the South East were due to this mutation, Vallance added, specifying that as of December 9, the figures were already much higher, having reached 60 percent of cases attributable to the new Covid strain. And not only does this mutation appear to move fast, it has also increased its transmission capacity and is becoming the dominant variant.

Both Boris Johnson and the chief scientist, however, stressed that there is no evidence that the new strain is more lethal or can cause more serious disease. “Likewise there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine will be less effectiveFinally specified the British Prime Minister.