U.K. Scientists warn that Coronavirus variant from India could quickly become dominant

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Wed, 2021-05-19 13:10 — mike kraft

Coronavirus variant from India could quickly become dominant, U.K. scientists warn It could be as much as 50 percent more contagious than the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant. William Booth Washington Post

LONDON — British scientists have raised alarm about the coronavirus variant first found in India, advising the government in technical papers that it could be as much as 50 percent more contagious than the highly transmissible strain first found in the U.K. that became dominant in many places around the world this spring.

Much remains unknown about the new variant — known as B.1.617.2 — in part because India has done so little genetic sequencing. Indian officials cannot say how much it is responsible for the devastating outbreak there.

But Britain runs a world-leading consortium of genetic sequencing laboratories that are constantly on the lookout for new “variants of concern,” and the arrival of the Indian variant has scientists and government officials here very concerned.

British health authorities have recalibrated their vaccination strategy. Whereas previously people had to wait 12 weeks between their first and second doses, that has been reduced to eight weeks. And the extension of eligibility to younger age groups is being accelerated.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson still went ahead with easing social distancing measures this week. Pubs and restaurants opened indoors on Monday. But the government has warned that the variant could delay plans for a full reopening June 21. ...

While the total number of new infections in Britain by the Indian variant remains small, the growth rate is high. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Parliament that confirmed cases involving B.1.617.2 had doubled in five days and that as of Monday there were 2,323 cases in Britain. While hot spots have been identified in northwest England and in London, the variant has been detected in locations throughout the country. ...

Scientists advising the government say B.1.617.2 appears to be more infectious than the coronavirus variant first discovered in southeast England late last year, known informally as the Kent variant. They worry the variant from India could quickly overtake the Kent strain and become the new dominant virus. ...

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