This new Covid variant in South Africa is not looking good….Not good at all.
Among the 32 variants to the spike protein, it contains the Q498R super variant predicted to evolve by Gideon Shrever at the Weizmann Institute back in January. When you get the attention of David Liu (genius billionaire chemist at the Broad Institute), you know you’ve written a good paper.
It appears to be spreading much faster than other variants. It also mirrors past significant variants like Delta in that it is exploding in one small area to start.
Even though some of the media outlets say it’s only been found in 10 sequences, it contains a signature allows it to be detected on PCR.
It’s too early to tell how this variant will hold up to both the vaccines, the boosters, and natural immunity. In a country like South Africa (23% vaccinated), you just can’t tell.
This variant contains 32 variants to the spike protein. Delta contained 4 I believe. It’s new territory.
I haven’t seen anything on viral load. Too early to tell.
The only bright spot is all these mutations may speed up the end game for endemic Covid. It may just be a hell of a ride along the way.
I know people are sick and tired of Covid, but this could be very, very bad.
Among the 32 variants to the spike protein, it contains the Q498R super variant predicted to evolve by Gideon Shrever at the Weizmann Institute back in January. When you get the attention of David Liu (genius billionaire chemist at the Broad Institute), you know you’ve written a good paper.
It appears to be spreading much faster than other variants. It also mirrors past significant variants like Delta in that it is exploding in one small area to start.
Even though some of the media outlets say it’s only been found in 10 sequences, it contains a signature allows it to be detected on PCR.
It’s too early to tell how this variant will hold up to both the vaccines, the boosters, and natural immunity. In a country like South Africa (23% vaccinated), you just can’t tell.
This variant contains 32 variants to the spike protein. Delta contained 4 I believe. It’s new territory.
I haven’t seen anything on viral load. Too early to tell.
The only bright spot is all these mutations may speed up the end game for endemic Covid. It may just be a hell of a ride along the way.
I know people are sick and tired of Covid, but this could be very, very bad.
