A new strain of the novel coronavirus has emerged in South Africa, and it’s causing concerns among experts because it’s proving to be more transmissible.
What’s going on?
South Africa has reported cases of a new COVID-19 strain, which is similar to a new mutation discovered in the UK since they are both more transmissible, CNBC reports.
- Scientists don’t believe the two new mutations are deadlier. However, a more transmissible virus means more people get infected, which could lead to more fatalities.
One major difference: Scientists don’t believe the UK strain disrupts the COVID-19 vaccine plan. But these experts are less certain about the South Africa variant, which is named “501.V2.”
- It doesn’t help that the coronavirus variant in South Africa evades antibody drugs, too, which puts those who become infected at risk for more severe illness, according to Business Insider.
What needs to happen
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Former U.S. FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC the U.S. needs to vaccinate Americans in order to protect them from the new South Africa variant, which appears to inhibit antibody drugs.
- “The South Africa variant is very concerning right now because it does appear that it may obviate some of our medical countermeasures, particularly the antibody drugs,” Gottlieb told CNBC.
- “Right now that strain does appear to be prevalent in South America and Brazil, the two parts of the world, right now, that are in their summer, but also experiencing a very dense epidemic, and that’s concerning,” he added.