- Michelle Roberts
- Health Affairs Editor, BBC News Network
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A new variant of the new coronavirus is called “Delta+” by some people. British experts say that it may spread more easily than the regular Delta variant.
The UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) has upgraded this mutant virus to the category of “variant under investigation” to reflect this potential risk.
There is no evidence that the new variants will cause more serious diseases.
At the same time, the existing vaccines should still be able to protect the people, and scientists have expressed confidence in this.
Most of the new coronavirus infections in the United Kingdom belong to the conventional Delta variant, but the number of cases of the “Delta+” or “AY.4.2” variant has been increasing.
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Experts say that it is unlikely to cause a large-scale outbreak or invalidate existing vaccines. However, officials pointed out that some early evidence suggests that it may have a higher rate of new infections in the UK than the Delta variant.
The British Health and Safety Agency said: “In recent months, this offspring has become more and more common in the UK, and there is some early evidence that it has a higher rate of new infections in the UK than the Delta variant.”
However, unlike Delta, it has not yet been identified as a “variant to be concerned”-this is the highest-level variant virus strain based on the risk level.
Thousands of different types of new coronaviruses and their variants are circulating around the world. Viruses are mutating all the time, so it is not surprising that new types of variants appear.
The AY.4.2 variant is a branch of the Delta variant. It includes some mutations that affect the thorn protein. The virus uses the thorn protein to invade our cells.
Since the beginning of the global pandemic of the epidemic, related mutations-Y145H and A222V have been found in other coronavirus sublines.
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Several cases have been detected in the United States, and some in Denmark, but the number of new infections of AY.4.2 in these places has since dropped.
The UK is already providing vaccine boosters before winter to higher-risk groups to ensure that they are fully protected from the new coronavirus.
There is no indication that the vaccine needs to be updated to resist the currently existing variants of the new coronavirus.
Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Health and Safety Agency, said: “The public health advice for all current variants is the same. For vaccinations, qualified persons should come as soon as possible after receiving the notification. Get your third shot or a suitable booster.”
“Continue to be vigilant. Wear a mask in crowded places, open doors and windows when in contact with people indoors, and keep the room ventilated. If you have symptoms, go for a nucleic acid test and stay at home for isolation until you get a negative result.”