Fully fed travelers entering the UK from France have to be in quarantinebecause of the beta version.
The government fears jabs against the variant might not work as well.
French authorities say most cases are from the overseas territories of Reunion Island and Mayotte rather than mainland France.
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Beta, also known as 501.V2 or B.1.351, has some significant genetic changes that experts are studying. It was first identified in South Africa.
All viruses, including the one that causes Covid-19, are constantly mutating into new versions or variants.
These tiny genetic changes occur as the virus makes new copies of itself in order to spread and thrive.
Most are trivial, and some can even affect the survival of the virus, but some variants can make the virus more contagious or more threatening to the host – humans.
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Some of the changes Beta has undergone affect the spike protein of the virus – the part that allows the virus to enter human cells. It’s also the part that vaccines are designed around, which is why experts are concerned about these particular mutations.
Beta has been labeled “variants of concern” along with some other variants of the coronavirus such as Delta and Alpha. These have some worrying changes that experts want to keep a very close eye on.
Beta carries a mutation called N501Y which apparently makes it more contagious or easier to spread.
Another mutation, called E484K, could help the virus evade a person’s immune system and can make vaccines less effective.
There is no evidence that the South African variant causes more serious illness in the vast majority of people.
As with the original version, the elderly and those with significant medical conditions are still at greatest risk.
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Vaccines are designed around the original Covid rather than new variants.
There is evidence that they are less effective in stopping beta infections.
But experts say they should still work to stop serious illnesses.
- Trials of Novavax, Janssen and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines in South Africa suggest the variant can overcome some built-up immunity
- Another study, also in South Africa, found that AstraZeneca’s vaccine was only 10% effective against mild to moderate beta infections
- A real-world data study in Israel — not yet peer-reviewed — found that some people who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine still got beta disease
- Moderna lab results suggest his shot works against the South African variant, although the immune response may not be as strong or sustained
- Data on Moderna use in Qatar suggests that two doses are more than 96% effective against symptomatic beta-caused Covid
- Data from Pfizer’s launch in Qatar suggests immunization is 97% effective in stopping severe cases of beta
Even in worst-case scenarios, vaccines can be redesigned and tweaked to provide a better match in a matter of weeks or months if needed.
A trial of a new version of AstraZeneca’s beta vaccine has begun in the UK.
Some of the other Covid vaccines will also be updated.
The beta variant has been identified in more than 50 countries around the world.
So far, the UK has registered just over 1,000 cases of beta. That’s a tiny fraction of all Covid cases. Another variant called Delta currently accounts for more than 99% of the Covid observed in the UK.
South Africa has reported higher cases of beta.
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When it was first identified in the UK, the government recommended community surge tests in some regions to stop the spread.
A system of outbound travel restrictions has also been put in place to minimize the likelihood of UK travelers spreading beta and other worrisome variants.
Although adults who have been fully bitten in the UK will now no longer have to quarantine when returning from yellow-listed countries, double-vaccinated travelers returning to England and Wales from France will still have to self-isolate for 10 days.
They’ll also have to do two PCR tests to make sure they’re not contagious.
British scientists are tracking variants, including beta, to learn more and are offering genome sequencing help to other countries so they can do the same.
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