Boris gotta monger that fear with new pictures of the same virus, just with different colours..!
33 cases of ANOTHER new Covid variant are found in UK: Scientists identify strain linked to travel from Nigeria with the same mutation as South African and Brazilian versions that makes jabs 'slightly less effective'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9265045/UK-spots-33-cases-Covid-variant.html
Another Covid variant that could dodge vaccine-triggered immunity has been identified in the UK, scientists say.
The strain — called B.1.525 — has been spotted 33 times already but experts say this could be an underestimate. MailOnline understands health chiefs will today officially list it as a variant under investigation while further tests are carried out. It will not be instantly listed as a strain of concern, like the South African and Kent viruses.
It carries the E484K mutation found on both the South African and Brazilian variants, which make the current crop of jabs slightly less effective.
The variant also has the Q677H mutation on its crucial spike protein, prompting warnings from scientists that this could make it even more resistant to vaccines. And it shares similarities with the Kent strain, which studies show is up to 70 per cent more infectious and deadlier.
The B.1.525 variant was first detected in Britain in mid-December — but this doesn't mean it evolved here. The UK does far more sequencing than other countries. It has already spread to 11 countries including the US, Canada and Denmark, which are not on the UK's 'red list'.
It has been linked to travel to Nigeria, where 12 out of 51 virus samples analysed — or 24 per cent — were the new variant. For comparison, the UK has only found it in 33 of 70,000 genomes sequenced, or less than 0.4 per cent.
The discovery will likely spark fears Britain's lockdown restrictions may be delayed. Boris Johnson — who is set to unveil his 'roadmap' back to freedom on Monday — last week refused to rule out extending measures if the South African virus kept on spreading. His comments came after an alarming study claimed Oxford University's vaccine may not stop people falling ill with the mutant strain.
One senior Tory MP told MailOnline that the discovery of such variants could give Downing Street cold feet about easing lockdown. They said: 'It looks as if these variant are actually tackled by the existing vaccines but the fact is you don't know until time passes and you can see the impact on real people. The problem is that every time a variant pops up it causes this problem with people saying "hang on".'
But although some genetic changes have been found to make jabs slightly less effective, experts say everyone should still get vaccinated because the jabs should prevent serious illness and death from the disease — even if they don't stop people developing symptoms.
Britain has identified several Covid variants since the pandemic began, including the more infectious Kent lineage — B.1.1.7 — which is the dominant strain. The South African variant — B.1.351 — has also been found, sparking mass testing in dozens of areas to prevent larger outbreaks. Other troublesome strains have also been spotted in Bristol and Liverpool.