Two strains of coronavirus that emerged in California last summer and fall have been declared ‘variants of concern’ by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials think that each variant is about 20 percent more transmissible than the currently dominant ‘original’ variant, based on early data. Lab studies also suggest that some … Read more
Mutant strains of the coronavirus are ‘very unlikely’ to stop the UK having a normal summer, a top scientist has said. Head of the Covid-19 Genomics UK scientific body Professor Sharon Peacock said tweaking vaccines will allow Britain to ‘stay ahead’ of Covid-19. Prof Peacock said she was ‘optimistic’ Britain’s world-leading jab rollout means the … Read more
Common UK garden animals like hedgehogs, rabbits and even the domestic cat have the potential to harbour new strains of coronavirus, a new study reveals. UK researchers used machine learning to predict associations between 411 strains of coronavirus and 876 potential mammal host species. Their machine learning model integrated characteristics extracted from genomes, such as protein structure, as … Read more
MARKET REPORT: Novacyt in demand after it launches products that can detect new variants of the Covid virus By Francesca Washtell For The Daily Mail Published: 22:53 GMT, 2 February 2021 | Updated: 22:53 GMT, 2 February 2021 Novacyt proved it is still a fast mover in the battle to beat Covid after launching products … Read more
After throwing its doors open to partygoers over the New Year, Dubai is now facing the economic cost of surging coronavirus cases as flight bans threaten its £23billion tourism sector. Britain last night placed an outright travel ban on the Middle East party haven where the New Year revelry has been blamed for a spike … Read more
Porton Down scientists are ‘confident’ that all mutant strains of coronavirus can be beaten with vaccines Porton Down scientists increasingly confident vaccines will counter new strains Research lab says this includes the so-called South African and Kent variants British firm ConserV Bioscience’s vaccine aims to protect against all strains By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 01:14 … Read more
Nursing leaders have called for higher-grade face masks to be given to staff to protect them against highly transmissible strains of Covid-19. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) warned that members had raised fears they were being given inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) in a letter to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). … Read more
Scanning sewage for new coronavirus variants is a viable strategy for speeding up detection of new strains which may be more infectious, a study has found. Wastewater analysis has previously been identified as a good way of spotting signs of local infection, but now Covid is rife around the world the focus has shifted towards … Read more
Current Covid vaccines could be reprogrammed to target new strains in just ‘a few days’, experts said today in a bid to calm fears about the South African variant. Top Government scientists have warned changes to the virus may mean the current wave of vaccines are less effective against it or don’t work at all. … Read more
Is this the worst Christmas ever? As most of the country enters Tier 4 from Boxing Day, l’m trying to look on the bright side, find light in the gloom, things to be cheerful about. After all, I’m not spending the next two days holed up in a smelly lorry cab parked on a disused … Read more