Following the UK, the corona 19 mutation occurred in South Africa, and the arrival hall at Incheon International Airport on the 27th of last month, when the government reinforced quarantine measures for immigrants in South Africa, is showing a busy appearance. News 1
South Africa has begun urgent testing to see if the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine is also effective for the mutant virus that originates in the country. The genetic study comes as UK experts and health authorities are concerned that existing vaccines may not be effective against the South African COVID-19 mutation.
South African infectious disease expert Dr. Richard Ressels told the Associated Press on the 4th (local time) that “this is the most pressing question we are currently facing,” and “the lab is urgently conducting an experiment to test for mutations.” He is conducting genetic analysis of the South African mutant virus.
Researchers in South Africa are conducting an experiment to test the mutant virus against the blood of people who have COVID-19 antibodies or who have been vaccinated. A test called a neutralizing potency test will help determine the vaccine’s reliability against mutations, Ressels added.
The South African mutation called ‘501.V2’, like the British mutation, has a much stronger spread than the existing Corona 19 virus. In South Africa, which has been experiencing a second wave since December of last year amid the emergence of the mutant virus, the number of confirmed cases and deaths is increasing faster than the peak of the first wave at the end of last July. The cumulative confirmed cases exceeded 1.1 million and nearly 30,000 died.
Some are concerned that the South African variant is far more potent than the UK variant, and the vaccine may not be effective either.
British Health Minister Matt Hancock said in an interview with BBC Radio that “I am very worried about the South African mutant virus,” and “a bigger problem than the domestic mutation.” The day before, John Bell, a professor at Oxford University in the UK, told Times Radio, “The vaccines currently developed seem to be effective against the mutation from the UK.” This is because there is a significant change in the protein structure of the mutation.
Ugur Sahin, CEO of Bioentech, Germany, said that the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed with Pfizer, a US pharmaceutical company, “is expected to prevent mutations.” “We can make a new vaccine that fits,” he said.
Kim So-yeon reporter [email protected]
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