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Combined COVID mutations discovered in the UK
A South African variant of coronavirus, now also in the UK, is making an existing mutation there more infectious and may even reduce the effect of vaccines.
Bad things seldom come alone. In the UK, COVID experts have detected the first cases of a British variant of the virus that is carrying an additional gene mutation seen also in a South African variant.
The cases are causing concern because it is possible that the two negative characteristics could combine.
In Britain, the variant B.1.1.7 has already made the virus more infectious. The South African variant 501Y.V2, meanwhile, carries a mutation called E484K. And that very same mutation E484K has been found in Brazilian variants as well, namely, variants B.1.1.33 and B.1.1.28.
SARS-CoV-2 probably originated in bats, but how it passed to people has been the subject of intense speculation and is now being investigated by the World Health Organization.
COVID vaccine may cause allergic reaction
After the emergency approval of a COVID vaccine in the UK, hundreds of people got the jab. At least two people showed allergic reactions and, as a result, people with allergies will not get the vaccine for now.
It wasn t even two days before authorities in the UK issued a warning: People with significant allergies should avoid getting vaccinated against COVID-19 for now.
The UK was the first country in the world to give a COVID vaccine emergency approval (EUA). The one that s been rolled out so far was developed by the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech and its US partner, Pfizer.