Mutant strain could lead to a return to tighter restrictions and lockdowns, while delivering another huge economic blow to the country
A new variant of Covid that kills one in three people is a “realistic possibility”, scientists have warned. A report by SAGE – the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies – says the future strain of coronavirus could be as deadly as MERS. MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is caused by another type of coronavirus and kills 35 per cent of those it infects. It was first recorded in Saudi Arabia in 2012. And science advisors to the Government fear that a new version of the Covid-19 virus could be just as much of a threat. Mutations are most likely to occur when the virus is widespread – as it is currently in the UK. The emergence of such strains could lead to a return to tighter restrictions and lockdowns, while delivering another huge economic blow to the country, Scientists suggested the new strain could be resistant to vaccines if it evolved from the jab-resistant ‘South Africa’ Beta variant along with the more transmissible Alpha or Delta variants.
Dr Philippa Whitford, vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, urged those in charge to pay attention to the alarming report
“This report, which should have sent shock waves through the UK Government, was instead quietly snuck out among a glut of reports during parliamentary recess,” she told Mail Online. “Recommendations and comments made by SAGE bring home the simple reality — that we have not yet ‘defeated’ this virus.” In another report, scientists warned that the protection offered by vaccines against coronavirus infection and potentially severe disease is likely to diminish over time. As a result, vaccine campaigns will have to continue for years to come.
The document, titled “How long will vaccines continue to protect against COVID?”, was written by prominent virologists and epidemiologists from Imperial College London, University of Birmingham and Public Health England.
Britain has approved and is using three vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna – in a programme that started in December 2020. Data shows that these vaccines protect with 95 per cent or greater effectiveness against the Alpha variant that dominated in Britain in early 2021, the scientists said, although the ability of the shots to protect against infection and onward transmission was lower. They said it vaccines could remain effective against severe disease but effectiveness against mild disease and infection could fall off over time. Anecdotal reports from Britain and Israel, which rolled out a comprehensive early campaign, supported that concept, they said. France, Israel. Germany and Great Britain will begin offering a third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, a world-first in efforts to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.