Variant covid South Africa, what the experts think

Covid variant from South Africa, should we worry? There are many countries, including Italy, which have decided to block flights from that area. While the WHO says that it is still early to understand the impact: “We will decide whether to classify B11529 of interest or concern”. But what do the experts think? Read also Galli On the new South African variant “let’s not wrap our heads but the concern is legitimate”. Thus the infectious disease specialist Massimo Galli, formerly head of the infectious diseases department of the Sacco hospital in Milan, guest of ‘Che Giorno è’ on Rai Radio 1. “From the various things that are emerging it is necessary to understand if this variant will become a competitor Delta, and we all understand that the matter would become serious – he warns – We do not know if it is possible that this variant is able to pierce the vaccine, I am not convinced of this but we do not have the data to be able to say. The vaccine will probably continue to do his job “. Novelli” As always we must not be scared, we know that “the new variant B11529 or South African” has more capacity to spread but at the moment we are not sure about lethal. Today I heard the South African colleagues and they told me that they are the genomic surveillance and sequencing systems were immediately activated. And this is important. The anti-Covid vaccines should respond “, underlines to the Adnkronos Salute Giuseppe Novelli, geneticist ordin ario of medical genetics at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome. “This new variant is a bit particular because it contains double the mutations found to date on the ‘classic’ variants – observes Novelli – It originated from an immunosuppressed African patient. The variants in fact arise when the virus replicates and the more it does and more can make mistakes and change. The way is to vaccinate, vaccinate and vaccinate to prevent it from replicating “. AndreoniThe new South African variant” is a warning and I certainly do not want to diminish the fact that we must worry. We must rush with vaccinations in all countries and also in children, because otherwise, if the virus circulates, this is exactly what happens, that is new variants that make us fall back into fear “, highlights Massimo Andreoni at Adnkronos Health, head of Infectious Disease at the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome and scientific director of the Italian Society of Diseases infectious and tropical (Simit). “We are waiting to understand what kind of sensitivity this new variant has towards the anti-Covid vaccine – explains Andreoni – we have worrying news on the 32 mutations in 4 regions of the ‘spike’ protein which are those recognized by our antibodies. It is a variant ad very high transmissibility so much so that its prevalence over the others quickly became 30%. We have to wait to know the data on lethality and then understand if the antibodies developed by vaccinations are able to block it. But, I repeat, it is a reason for those who do not believe in vaccinations and does not understand that the battle is not won “. Finally, the infectious disease specialist addresses an appeal to the institutions, “we help the countries most in difficulty, due to inability or poor means, to vaccinate the entire population”. new South African variant “there is no cause for concern, for now we must be calm. We do not know if the vaccines cover it but the booster, the third dose, increases the breath of our immune response. I am confident that the vaccine will cover this too. “. Thus the immunologist Alberto Mantovani, scientific director of Humanitas, guest of ‘Buongiorno’ on SkyTg24. “The benefit that comes from vaccines is higher than the possible risks.” This was stated by commenting on Ema’s green light for the vaccine for the age group 5-11. “Children already have many vaccines. The data is clear: the drugs are safe. Myocarditis as a side effect of vaccination, the only problem encountered, is very rare and is benign, it heals with conventional drugs. On the other hand, Covid-19 myocarditis is much more serious “, added Mantovani.