New challenge: Variant new coronaviruses first appear to merge

New challenge: Variant new coronaviruses first appear to merge.  According to overseas news on February 18, variant new coronaviruses have appeared in many countries around the world. American scientists have discovered that the variant virus strain from the United Kingdom and the variant virus strain from California of the United States merge to form a new virus strain.

This is the first time that a variant of the new coronavirus has been discovered since the outbreak. Scientists said that they do not know the impact of the new virus strain, but they are worried that it will bring a new stage of the epidemic.

In addition, according to overseas network quoting Reuters, a Brazilian research institution stated that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Beijing Kexing Biological Products Co., Ltd. is effective against two mutant new coronaviruses from the United Kingdom and South Africa.

01 Combination of two mutant viruses?

According to overseas websites citing US media reports, Bette Korber, a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, USA, found for the first time that a variant virus strain B.1.1.7 from the United Kingdom was in a sample. A syncytial virus that is a mixture of variant virus strains B.1.429 from California. She announced the research at a meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences in early February, and pointed out that unlike general variant viruses, which only have one mutation at a time, syncy viruses can mutate multiple times each time.

Kobel said that for the time being, the genetic recombination of this syncytial virus was only found in thousands of gene arrangements. It is not yet certain whether this is an accidental phenomenon, or the virus has spread from person to person. She pointed out that the syncytial virus discovered this time possesses both the ease of transmission of B.1.1.7 and the drug-resistant characteristics of B.1.429. She is worried that the hybrid of the mutant virus will make the epidemic more severe.

A study by the Los Alamos National Laboratory pointed out that the combination of variant viruses may be due to some patients infected with two different strains of the virus.

However, Sergei Pond, a biology researcher at Temple University in Pennsylvania, who specializes in virus variants, believes that the mixing of new coronaviruses is very common, and there is no evidence that there are a large number of syncytial viruses.

02 China Kexing (SINOVAC) vaccine can effectively resist two mutant new coronaviruses

According to overseas news on February 18, on the 17th local time, Dimas Covas, head of the Butantan Institute in São Paulo State, Brazil, pointed out that after testing, it was found that China’s Kexing COVID-19 Vaccine was resistant to The mutated new coronavirus in the United Kingdom and South Africa is effective.

According to the report, the Butantan Institute is also testing whether the “Kellyford” vaccine developed by Kexing Biotechnology is effective against the mutated new coronavirus that appeared in Manaus, Brazil. In this regard, Kovas said, “We will get results soon, and we are very sure that it will succeed.”

The Butantan Institute began a mass vaccination campaign on the 17th, targeting the entire adult population and testing whether it has reduced the infection rate. Covas expects that the “Kellyford” vaccine will have an advantage over other vaccines due to the use of inactivation technology.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government also issued a press release on the 18th announcing that the Secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong has approved Kexing Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Diseases (Use of Vaccines) Regulations (Chapter 599K) (the Regulations) The company’s (Kexing) Covid-19 vaccine [ie, Kerlaifu New Coronavirus Inactivated Vaccine (Vero Cell)] was used for emergency use in Hong Kong.

According to the communiqué, according to the information provided by vaccine suppliers, the first batch of vaccines to be supplied to Hong Kong will arrive in Hong Kong. The SAR government will start the territory-wide vaccination plan led by the SAR government as soon as possible after receiving the relevant vaccines and completing the necessary quality inspection procedures. At the same time, the government will continue to actively follow up the emergency use approval and supply schedule of the remaining vaccines purchased in Hong Kong, and make preparations for related vaccination arrangements. The SAR government will also continue to follow the vaccine procurement strategy to pre-procure other COVID-19 vaccines that can meet safety, efficacy and quality requirements, including those that are still in the development stage, to ensure that all Hong Kong citizens have different vaccines and sufficient supplies for vaccination.

A spokesperson for the SAR Government said: “The government will ensure that the vaccine meets the requirements for safety, efficacy and quality, and strictly approve the use of the vaccine in accordance with the relevant requirements and procedures of the Regulations before arranging the public for vaccination. To strengthen public confidence in the vaccine The government’s vaccination work will continue to be based on scientific evidence and the principles of openness and transparency. At the same time, it will continue to monitor the use of vaccines. The government will provide the public with the latest information on vaccines through different channels in due course and announce experts’ opinions on vaccines. The advice provided allows the public to have accurate and comprehensive information about the vaccine.”

(source:internet, reference only)

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