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This was discussed in the press several weeks back, there was a Downing Street briefing that day about it - they hammered home two points 1) The data isn't in
by benlumen 6y ago
This was discussed in the press several weeks back, there was a Downing Street briefing that day about it - they hammered home two points
1) The data isn't in on severe disease and hospitalization - and they strongly suspect that it will still have a positive impact on that
2) B1351 is not our dominant strain (in the UK and elsewhere) and since it's not more infectious than our already very infectious strain, probably won't be
- neuronic 6y agoBut it will be dominant if it's the only strain capable of spreading within a population immune against other strains, no?
- 00deadbeef 6y agoYes but they made the point that by time it is we could already be rolling out a booster
- numpad0 6y agoSo is it that it could be the next seasonal COVID-22 and vaccines will be ready by then?
- DetroitThrow 6y agoYup, trials have been happening for months already with mRNA vaccines targeted specifically for these variants, so if there is any risk of deadly seasonal COVID from them there will likely be vaccines to address them.
- stoddur 6y agoInteresting, did not know this. Any links / sources on ongoing trials?
- raphlinus 6y agoModerna ready to test version of Covid-19 vaccine aimed at worrisome variant: https://www.statnews.com/2021/02/24/moderna-ready-to-test-version-of-covid-19-vaccine-aimed-at-worrisome-variant/ https://www.statnews.com/2021/02/24/moderna-ready-to-test-ve... Covid-19: Where are we on vaccines and variants? https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n597 https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n597
- benlumen 6y agoSorry, yes - the context was that they were encouraging uptake of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the here and now. Prof. Sarah Gilbert (who developed it) did the rounds on TV explaining that they're tweaking it for new strains and booster shots will be ready by autumn if needed.
- sjg007 6y agoKeep wearing masks and social distance.
- rocgf 6y agoThe past year has taught me that this type of comment is generally anti-measures, so I am asking you this: do you think that letting it run loose through the population is a decent approach?
- sjg007 6y agoI was not being sarcastic.
- murph-almighty 6y agoAfter a year of watching a lot of people not do that, I am not particularly optimistic.
- ashtonkem 6y agoI think it's pretty clear that some combination of mask wearing, case tracing, and social distancing can absolutely clamp down on this disease, as we've seen in Southeast Asia. I also think it's pretty clear that patience for such things in America is at an end, and compliance will be low even if the new variant continues to kill.
- Mediterraneo10 6y agoNot just America but Europe, too. Several health ministers have openly said that their populations are tired of restrictions and no longer observing them. Of course health ministers keep pushing for new restrictions regardless, because their job performance is mainly judged on how proactive they look, not whether those restrictions actually prove effective.