According to a new assessment by experts, the B1617 variant of Covid-19 is spreading around the world at a “scary speed” and could exacerbate the pandemic, especially in countries with low vaccination rates. The B1617 strain has also been reported to increase rapidly with a steeper slope than many other variants and this is not the last time the virus has mutated.
“The scary thing is the unimaginable frequency with which this variable can spread so widely within a community, often exceeding the ability of contact tracing modules to track and isolate exposed contacts to break the chain of transmission,” Professor Tuo Yeik Ying, Dean of the Su College said Public Health Hook at the National University of Singapore. According to the World Health Organization, B1617, which was first detected in India in October 2020, is now present in more than 50 countries.
Ying added that this dynasty has immense power to show the world a terrifying and unprecedented pandemic. In simple words, it could set off a pandemic storm more terrifying than the world has ever witnessed before. This is because the B1617 strain has mutated and spreads easily from person to person and can weaken the protection provided by vaccines as well as natural infections, experts say. Citing additional risks, the World Health Authority declared the tensions a “global concern” this month.
The first strain discovered in Wuhan last year pales in comparison to the new strain (1.5 to 2 times more contagious). There are three versions of the B1617 – B16171, B16172 and B16173. The second version is the most relevant as it appears to replace B16171 in domestic cases other than those reported globally. The report says that the third edition B16173 is rare. The only hope so far is vaccination, and several studies have shown that Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against B1617.
But the problem is the lack of vaccines and countries lagging far behind in vaccinating all their citizens. “Countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, are more vulnerable because of lower vaccination rates, making them more vulnerable to serious disease,” said Professor Fisher, head of the WHO Global Alert and Response Network.
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