Here’s What We Know About The New COVID Variant Everyone’s Talking About
The new strain was discovered in South Africa this week, and the World Health Organisation has now called an emergency meeting.
A newly discovered COVID-19 variant that is reportedly the worst we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic is making headlines, leaving many of us bracing for another year of lockdown hell. But what exactly is the B.1.1.529 variant, how worried should we be, and should we be preparing for a very COVID new year?
Let’s unpack it.
What Is The New Variant And When Was It Discovered?
A new COVID-19 variant called B.1.1.529 has been discovered by scientists this week. Tom Peacock, a virologist at Department of Infectious Disease at London’s Imperial College first raised the alarm on November 24, noting that a very small cluster of the variant located in South Africa features a “really awful spike mutation profile” (that’s bad).
B.1.1.529 has an unusual constellation of mutations, which has scientists concerned that our vaccines may not prove as effective against the new variant. However, it’s worth noting that we have only known of this variant’s existence for two days, so our knowledge about it — and its risks — are still pretty much unknown.
What Is WHO Saying
The World Health Organisation has called an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the variant. The Director of the Centre of Epidemic Response and Innovation on South Africa Tulio de Oliveira has told the Financial Times that he is “worried” about the new variant, noting that 90 percent of the new cases in the South African region of Gauteng are believed to be caused by the variant.
“The key question to be answered is what exactly is the effect on the vaccines,” he added.
A major discussion that will be held is on whether the variant should be deemed of “concern” or just of “interest.”
What Do We Know About The Variant?
South Africa has confirmed approximately 100 cases to be linked to the B.1.1529 variant so far. Additionally, cases have been found in Botswana and Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong case being linked as a traveller who came from South Africa.
On Thursday, senior scientists have described the variant as the worst we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic — which means its seemingly worse than the Delta variant that wreaked havoc on the world earlier this year.
The variant has 32 mutations in the spike protein — the part of the virus that vaccines target — which is double the number of mutations observed in the Delta variant. According to Francois Balloux, professor of computational systems biology at University College London, the new variant could have evolved “during a chronic infection of an immunocompromised person, possibly in an untreated HIV/AIDS patient”.
However, this is yet to be confirmed by the WHO. At this stage, the reality is: we don’t know all that much about the variant, or how it evolved.
“For the time being, it should be closely monitored and analysed, but there is no reason to get overly concerned, unless it starts going up in frequency in the near future,” Balloux told Sky News.
As for when we will actually know more about the severity of the variant, it could be weeks before any concrete evidence is revealed.
What Restrictions Are Being Imposed?
So far, South Africa — as well as surrounding countries including Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe — have been placed on England’s red list travel restrictions from midday on Friday. This is the first time England has had countries on the red list since November 1, when the final seven countries were removed from the list.
In addition to new quarantine requirements for incoming travellers, those who have recently arrived from these countries will be tracked down and offered tests in an attempt to quash the strain.
“What we do know is there’s a significant number of mutations, perhaps double the number of mutations that we have seen in the Delta variant,” Britain’s Health Minister Sajid Javid said at the time of the announcement.
“And that would suggest that it may well be more transmissible and the current vaccines that we have may well be less effective.”
Australia is yet to announce any restrictions, presumably because South Africa and Hong Kong were not on Australia’s safe travel list to begin with. It is unclear if the new variant will impact reopening plans, but as it currently stands, the B.1.1.529 variant is not believed to have spread to any of the countries we’re in a travel bubble with.
However, as we know all too well after two years of pandemic madness, this could change very quickly.
Junkee reached out to the Home Affairs and Health departments on Friday morning. The Home Affairs office redirected us to the Department of Health, from which we are yet to hear back.
So What Does This Mean For Australia?
Right now? Not much. Obviously, this is all subject to change, and we should probably all continue to wear our masks, social distance and wash our damn hands to protect ourselves from the COVID variants already circulating in Australia.