Among other therapies that could lead to the emergence of a new population of the virus was the so-called blood plasma transmission from someone infected with the paranoid corona virus, which contains numerous antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. “If plasma is used to treat a person with a chronic immune system, that is, if the virus has been growing for a long time, he or she is likely to be a carrier of many different people. [вируса]… Antibodies in plasma kill only the type of virus with which they can communicate. And the rest will have a chance to take the place of the dead leader. Natural natural selection, or, in this case, already artificial, ”Paranova explained.
Video
Read on RBC Pro
Furthermore, the rate of onset of viral mutations, according to the expert, may be affected by drugs that affect the virus polymerase, for example, areplivir and coronavir or remsetivir used in treatment regimens for COVID-19 in the UK.
“These drugs impair the work of the virus polymerase, causing the virus to multiply with great difficulty, but if it does, it can copy through errors and accumulate more mutations. It produces a wide variety of virus particles – the material of choice. In comparison, if you put the corona virus in a bad condition, the unmodified viruses will die and the most suitable ones will survive, ”said Paranova.
“This is the result of our actions to save lives. We will save lives anyway. This means that the variants of this virus will be with us all the time, pointing to the futility of attempts to close borders with Great Britain.” Even if imagined, we would still get our own home-grown variants that would be selectively treated to avoid the action of antibodies, ”she said.
There is no point in closing the borders of countries against the spread of infectious diseases, agrees Mikhail Favorov, epidemiologist head of the medical research firm Diaphragm Systems Inc..
“If the virus is not severe [COVID-19], But causes more cases, which means more people will get sick. The same population will develop immunity, which is essential to end the epidemic. Therefore, to control the virus, it is very contagious, but severe, I personally do not understand why, ”he said. Pavrov noted that the virus had been spreading since September, but had only just begun to tighten controls.
According to him, if there are dozens, if not hundreds of mutations occurring every day in the world, the virus can only be identified in those that are most common in the population. Favorov said the highest infection and the lowest severity of the disease were “beneficial” for pathogens. “As for a virus, if a person dies due to an illness, it is bad because the virus dies with this person,” the epidemiologist explained.
Mikhail Favorov notes that the presence of mutations does not affect the protective properties of the vaccine. According to him, viruses have two types of nuclei in their genes: easily mutable parts, and areas where the virus cannot be mutated, otherwise it will die and not multiply. “All vaccines operate on a ‘conservative site’ – something that does not change. Therefore, practically all alternatives do not affect the effectiveness of the vaccine,” he said. “Viruses cause dozens, not hundreds, mutations every day,” he said.
Jeremy Roseman, a virologist at the University of Kent (UK), told the RBC that it was still difficult to determine the characteristics of the new SARS-CoV-2 strains identified in the country. “With significant probability, we can say that this strain is highly contagious and should not respond to antibody-based treatment against COVID.
However, for him, so far, decisions can only be made at the level of speculation. “We are likely to have more complete information in the coming days or weeks,” he concluded.
He acknowledged that it was too late to try to prevent the virus from spreading to other European countries. “The virus has been found in Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia, and I hope it will be found in other states as well. Travel restrictions are unlikely to change the situation, ”said the virologist.
Roseman said wearing masks, social exclusion and hygiene are the best way to fight the virus. At the same time, according to him, the conditions that lead to a new strain of corona virus infections are possible, while a regular strain infection can be avoided. “For example, there is a close relationship between two people wearing masks. Perhaps, with regular strain, there will be no infection in this case, but the new variant of the virus will lead to the spread of COVID, ”the expert agrees.
England Announced December 14 on the emergence of a new, more contagious corona virus. A new type of virus has been identified in London, in the Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire districts, where more than 1,000 people have been infected. This variant of the virus has been spreading since about September.
A few days later, the WHO Announced Regarding the identification of a new strain in Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia. The WHO noted that although the mutation led to more infections, the virus did not become more dangerous. At the same time, there is no scientific evidence so far that he works somehow differently to the available vaccines.
Various countries have canceled flights with the UK due to the appearance of a new strain of SARS-CoV-2. Among them – Belgium, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Bulgaria, Austria, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait Others. It was also reported that flights with Britain had been suspended Russia.