“Let us realize that a large part of positive samples in the Czech Republic currently show a British mutation, on average it is around forty percent, but there are large differences between individual regions. It is typical for this mutation that it is able to overcome the measures set so far. far less non-compliance is enough, “warned Minister of Health Jan Blatný (for YES) after Monday’s government meeting.
“If 40 percent is now here (British variants), it is prevalent within 14 days. But no one knows if she is 40. She can easily be 60 percent,” said biologist Jaroslav Flegr when asked by TN.cz. He was surprised that Blatný had stated the share of the British mutation at all, according to Flegr, it was still a ban on stating this. According to him, how large a share of the British mutation in the total number of infections is will fundamentally affect how quickly this mutation will completely prevail in the Czech Republic.
Although analyzes have not yet revealed a different variant of coronavirus in the Czech Republic than the British one (for example, the so-called South African or Brazilian), Flegr thinks that these strains have already penetrated us as well. “I think they are here, but rather dozens of cases. At least I hope there is no more. But we know how quickly the original form came out of the world, just a moment and it was here,” he reminded.
“As fast as the normal epidemic started, small epidemics of these mutants are starting here now,” Flegr said.
He personally fears especially the South African variant of the virus. “If some vaccines aren’t working on it, it would be a big deal, because it will be another delay. Science can very quickly make a vaccine that will immunize against this mutation, but it will take several months to test it again,” Flegr said.
Epidemiologist Roman Prymula pointed out that there are already regions in the Czech Republic where the British mutation of the virus is dominant. He mentioned Brno and Pardubice. According to him, it is only a matter of time before this variant prevails in the Czech Republic.
“It may happen that there is already a South African mutation, because it is in Tyrol, which is not far from us. It is possible that it has already got here, but it has not been confirmed yet,” says Prymula. At the same time, however, he said that, according to his information, laboratories in the Czech Republic are mainly looking for a British mutation. “I do not think that the African mutation would be specifically tested in all samples that go for sequencing (detailed analysis),” said the former minister of health.
“The Brazilian and South African mutations have been said to be dangerous in that they can bypass immunity after both illness and vaccination. Unfortunately, they have now caught up in Britain in January that the British mutation has acquired this ability as well. the British mutation would then be the most dangerous, because in addition to rapid spread, it would try to avoid a sufficient immune response, “Prymula thought.
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