[국제]’Mutation spread’ is the largest number of new cases in the UK…Pfizer and Modena, experiments related to mutation

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In the UK, where the mutant virus has emerged, the spread of COVID-19 is increasing, with the number of new confirmed cases recording a record high a day.

Pfizer and Moderna, two vaccine-developing pharmaceutical companies that have begun vaccination in the United States, have each set out to test vaccine efficacy against the mutant virus.

Let’s take a look at the details with reporter Jo Soo-hyun of the International Department. welcome.

The spread of the mutant virus from the UK is on the verge of worsening?

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Yes, as the British Health Minister said, it looks out of control.

The British government announced on the 22nd local time that the number of new confirmed cases was 36,804.

This is the highest on a daily basis.

The number of new deaths in one day on the 22nd was 691, the highest in one month.

Of course, it cannot be concluded that the cause of the spread of infection in the UK is due to a mutant virus, but it is analyzed that it has a significant impact.

This is because mutant viruses are 70% more infectious than conventional viruses, but the prospects for the future are darker.

Respiratory disease experts in the UK believe the mutant virus has already mutated into the most powerful virus in southern regions such as London and will soon spread throughout the UK.

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Countries around the world are also tense about the spread of the mutant virus, but the United States has already warned of the possibility that it has entered their country?

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Yes, this is a warning issued by the CDC of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. has so far undergone genetic analysis for only 0.3% of all corona19 infection cases in the country.

So far, no mutant virus has been found in the analysis results.

However, as I said, it is difficult to conclude that the virus has not occurred in the United States because the proportion of the people analyzed is only a small fraction of the total.

Therefore, CDC is working hard to come up with alternatives, presuming the possibility that the mutant virus may already have spread in the United States.

Moreover, with the widespread spread of the mutant virus in the UK, we are concerned that the possibility of the influx is greater given people traveling between the UK and the US.

Anthony Pouch, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also stressed the importance of preemptive response, saying it is certain that the mutant virus may already exist in the United States.

On the 22nd local time, Mr. Pouch, along with the Minister of Health and Welfare, Alix Aza, publicly vaccinated the Modena vaccine.

Let’s hear your impressions.

[앤서니 파우치 / 미 국립 알레르기·전염병 연구소 소장 : (백신 접종에 관한) 상징으로서 저는 이 백신의 안전과 효능에 대해 매우 강한 확신을 갖고 있습니다. 아울러 미국에 보호막이 만들어질 수 있도록 기회가 있는 모든 분에게 접종을 독려하고 싶습니다.]

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The key is whether the currently approved vaccines will also work against the mutant virus, and the experiment has begun?

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Yes, Pfizer, a US pharmaceutical company that jointly developed the COVID-19 vaccine, and Bioentech in Germany,

And Modena, a US pharmaceutical company that jointly developed the vaccine with the US Department of Health and Human Services, launched each experiment.

In a statement, Pfizer said it is collecting data by taking blood samples from people with corona immunity to determine the effectiveness of the vaccine against the mutant virus.

Biontech’s CEO Ugur Sahin also said it needed two weeks of research and data collection.

The mutant virus is said to have mutated only 9 out of 1,270 amino acids, and the corona vaccine contains 99% of amino acids to counter the mutant virus, so he was confident that it would be effective.

He explained that the new vaccine could be technically delivered within six weeks.

In a statement, Modena also stated that it will conduct additional experiments over the next few weeks.

He added that the company’s vaccine-induced immunity is expected to protect against the UK mutant virus.

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In the midst of this, more and more countries are blocking the sky road with the UK, including Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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Yes, more than 40 countries, including France, Germany, Israel and Saudi Arabia, have restricted entry from the UK.

The United States, one of the UK’s biggest allies, is cautious about restrictions on entry, but airlines are significantly reducing flights to the UK.

In particular, the government of New York State, the eastern part of the United States, which is closest to the United Kingdom, demanded voluntary inspections by airlines for passengers departing from the United Kingdom.

Accordingly, British Airways and Delta Air Lines of the United States have announced that they will only allow passengers who tested negative in the Corona 19 test to board New York.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has also urged the federal government to take full entry restrictions on flights departing from the UK.

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Finally, let’s move on to Asia.

The news of Singapore’s first Pfizer vaccination in Asia is drawing attention as it spreads yesterday.

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Yes, Pfizer vaccines are currently being vaccinated in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, but Singapore is the first time a vaccine has arrived in Asia.

In particular, it is evaluated as the highest quality vaccine in many aspects, such as the conditions that must be stored in cryogenic conditions and the high price.

Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that a lot of preparatory work has been done to ensure that the series of storage operations are as smooth as possible.

The primary vaccine quantity has been transferred from the freighter to the external storage facility through the low-temperature distribution system.

It is not yet known when and how the vaccine arrived this time will be vaccinated.

Prime Minister Li Xianlong told the public last week that he expects vaccinations to begin at the end of the year.

In addition, he and other government officials are encouraging vaccinations, saying that they plan to get vaccinations at an early stage following medical staff, the elderly and the vulnerable.

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