COVID has different variants depending upon the countries.
The first mutated version of coronavirus was found in India. This variant is now circulating in UK too. It has been classified as “of concern” by the public health experts.
This deadly virus keeping on creating its new types that could be spread more easily, make people sicker. Hence, the world is carefully monitoring it regularly.
Here is everything about the virus and its various versions.
What do we know about the different variants?
All the viruses have a convention to make several copies of themselves when they change. It helps them to survive and spread.
While most changes are trivial, there are some changes that could even destroy the virus. But it is often perceived that these changes make viruses even more infectious and dangerous, as these mutations tend to dominate.
We humans act as hosts to the virus. So, if our body gains immunity through infection or vaccination, a virus with mutations that can evade this shield will thrive.
What do we know about the different variants?
There are thousands of different variants of Covid circulating across the world.
It is also known as B.1.1.7. and is prevalent in Britain. More than 200,000 cases were identified of this variant and has spread to more than 50 countries. It appears to be mutating again.
It is also known as B.1.351. It was found in 20 different countries including the UK.
This P.1 variant has spread to more than 10 countries, including the UK.
This particular B.1.617.2 variant had more than 500 cases in the UK, with some but not all linked to travel.
How do the new variants mutate?
All these variants have undergone changes to their spike protein, the part of the virus which attaches to the human cells.
According to some experts the UK strain may be up to 70%c more dangerous although the research says that it’s between 30% to 50%.
The South Africa and Brazil variants also have a key mutation, called E484K. It may help the virus evade antibodies.
The India variant has some other possibly vital mutations (such as L452R) that might make it more contagious.