A medical staff is preparing to administer a novel coronavirus vaccine jointly developed by AstraZeneca-Oxford University at a temporary vaccination center in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, on the 4th (local time). AFP=Yonhap News
A high-ranking official from the UK government announced that it is estimated that there are more than 4,000 variants of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) currently spreading around the world, Reuters reported on the 4th (local time).
According to Reuters, Vice Minister Nadim Jahawi of the UK government in charge of vaccines said in an interview with Sky News on the day that it is very unlikely that the current vaccines will be effective against the new mutant virus. Revealed.
“There are currently 4,000 mutant viruses in the world,” said Jaha-wi, vice-minister of government. We are looking for ways to improve it.”
He added, “The current vaccines are expected to be effective not only for mutations originating in the UK, but also for other mutations,” he added.
Earlier, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported that thousands of COVID-19 mutations have already been generated, but only a few of them are transforming the virus in a notable way.
“50% of the world’s genome sequencing (gene analysis) industry is in the UK, which is the world’s largest,” said Ja Ha-wi, vice-minister of government. I’m doing it.”
Corona 19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) is an RNA virus that is susceptible to mutations in the process of replicating genetic information. Due to the high possibility of mutation, the Corona 19 virus created thousands of mutations in the process of spreading to the world last year. Experts are concerned that the mutations found in the UK and South Africa are highly contagious and the vaccine may not work well.
Reporter Han Young-hye [email protected]