Share
CNBC
A variant of the coronavirus identified in South Africa is more problematic than the mutation found in the U.K., Britain’s health minister said Monday, as both strains spread rapidly.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC the variant found in South Africa was especially concerning.
“This is a very, very significant problem … and it’s even more of a problem than the U.K. new variant,” he told the BBC’s “Today” program.
Questions have been raised over how the coronavirus vaccines will work against the new variants. Several experts have said they expect current vaccines to protect against the new strains.
But Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University John Bell said on Sunday that the variant identified in South Africa was more troubling than an earlier mutation that has now spread from the UK to the United States.
“They both have multiple, different mutations in them, so they’re not a single mutation,” he told Times Radio. “And the mutations associated with the South African form are really pretty substantial changes in the structure of the (virus’ spike) protein.”
However, he told the radio station that if the vaccine did not work on this variant then it was likely the vaccines could be adapted and that would not take as long as a year.
By Holly Ellyatt | 04 Jan 2021
RELATED TOPICS:
Justin Herbert, Chargers Will Play Their 2025 Season Opener in Brazil
26 minutes ago
Ohtani Progresses in Dodgers Return with Second Bullpen Session
35 minutes ago
Trump Suggests US Agencies Should Negotiate Bills, Rather Than Pay Them in Full
1 hour ago
Laundry Secrets From the Baseball Pros — the Clubhouse Staffers Who Wash MLB Uniforms
1 hour ago
Trump Media Company Sues a Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Investigating Bolsonaro
2 hours ago
Trump, Musk Misrepresent Social Security Data on Payments to Centenarians
2 hours ago
Fresno Police Seize 27 Firearms in Search Warrant, Arrest Suspect
2 hours ago
NATO Holds Massive Combat Drills Amid US Policy Shift
2 hours ago
Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Khamphanh Srimala
2 hours ago

Manfred Calls Athletics’ New Park in Sacramento Charming, Reaffirms Vegas Move

Justin Herbert, Chargers Will Play Their 2025 Season Opener in Brazil

Ohtani Progresses in Dodgers Return with Second Bullpen Session

Trump Suggests US Agencies Should Negotiate Bills, Rather Than Pay Them in Full
