The mutant coronavirus strain ripping through the country is more contagious because it replicates in the throat, scientists have said. The strain, is reportedly 70 per cent more transmissible than the original, and one of the reasons why England was plunged into a third national lockdown. But experts say evidence shows why it is jumping from one person to the next, is down to the throat of an infected person. A Public Health England and Birmingham University study has revealed that around 35 per cent of patients infected by the mutant strain had very high levels of covid in their samples. The swabs are taken from the back of the throat and nose and the authors of the study said high viral loads on these swabs are linked to more severe cases of Covid-19. Michael Kidd study leader, said the evidence could help scientists investigate how the variant makes more copies of itself in each person it infects. B ut the good news is, according to Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, if you’ve already had coronavirus, you are probably immune to the new strain. At a Downing Street press televised press conference earlier this week, he said: “What we know is that the 22 changes in the genetic code made the virus more transmissible. The experts said that it was “hard to determine” exactly why this variant spreads more rapidly. “But as far as we can see it doesn’t make it hidden from the immune system so if you had an infection before, the evidence is that you probably neutralise this virus as well. “The expectation is the same for the vaccine.