Commentary: Those new coronavirus variants sure are worrisome - CNA

But there is something else in the air: Ominous SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Currently there are five variants of concern circulating in the US: the B117, which originated in the UK, the B.1.351 of South African origin, the P.1., first seen in Brazil and the B.1.427 and B.1.429, both originating in California.

Because the spike protein is required for the virus to attach to human cells, it carries a number of these key mutations.

As of today, no variant has been classified as of high consequence, although the concern is that this could change as new variants emerge and we learn more about the variants already circulating.

First, the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern generally spread from person to person at least 20 per cent to 50 per cent more easily.

Second, SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern can also lead to more severe disease and increased hospitalisations and deaths.

Another concern is that these new variants can escape the immunity elicited by natural infection or our current vaccination efforts.

For example, antibodies from people who recovered after infection or who have received a vaccine may not be able to bind as efficiently to a new variant virus, resulting in reduced neutralisation of that variant virus.

Researchers are intensely investigating whether there will be reduced vaccine efficacy against these variants.

While most vaccines seem to remain effective against the UK variant, one recent study showed that the AstraZeneca vaccine lacks efficacy in preventing mild to moderate COVID-19 due to the B.1.351 South African variant.

However, it is imperative to assume that current SARS-CoV-2 variants will likely continue to evolve and adapt

We also need to vaccinate as many people in as many places and as soon as possible to reduce the number of cases and the likelihood for the virus to generate new variants and escape mutants