ARTICLE FEATURES . A New Strain of Coronavirus
A New Strain of Coronavirus More infectious but not more deadly
T
he new year has begun amid severe fears due to the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus, which has remarkably affected the world over the past year, so many countries have imposed again more stringent precautionary measures in order to limit the rapid spread of this strain, which appears to be more infectious.
Scientists believe that the emergence of the new strain of coronavirus is significantly more contagious than other strains. The United Kingdom is the first to have witnessed the emergence of the new coronavirus strain, urging
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some countries to impose travel restrictions. A new strain of coronavirus identified in the United Kingdom is up to 70% more infectious but it is not thought to be more deadly and vaccines should still be effective. SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19 is evolving and mutating all the time, as do all similar viruses. Such changes are completely to be expected. Just because there has been a small change in the virus’ genetic make-up this does not mean it is any more virulent, nor that vaccines won’t be effective. When a virus replicates or makes copies of itself, it sometimes changes a little bit. These changes are called “mutations.” A virus
SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THAT THE EMERGENCE OF THE NEW STRAIN OF CORONAVIRUS IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN OTHER STRAINS.
