Can the new Corona strain be contained? ... An epidemiologist answers
It is not too late to try to contain the spread of a new type of emerging corona virus (Covid-19), which has prompted many countries to isolate the United Kingdom, says Dr. Emma Hodcroft, a specialist in tracking viral mutations.
In an interview with AFP, an epidemiologist at the University of Berne in Switzerland called for work on the chain of variations in the genome of SARS-Cove-2 that causes Covid-19, so that it becomes possible to better track the inevitable mutations.
Hodcroft co-developed the NextStrain project, which aims to make real-time use of the information that genetic data on pathogens can provide.
Q: Is it too late to control the spread of the mutated strain of Coronavirus?
A: I do not think, at the international level or at the European level, but the possibility is high that there are cases of this copy all over Europe that we have not yet discovered.
We will never be able to prevent a virus from mutating, but we can improve our chances of reducing the number of cases, thanks to respecting containment measures such as muzzle placement, social distancing, etc.
The less the virus spreads, the less likely it is to spread it to different people, and hence it is unlikely to find favorable conditions for the production of new mutations there is always a possibility that they are more dangerous than the original.
We can all contribute.
The best gift we can give our families this Christmas is to reflect on our behavior and do whatever it takes to prevent the spread of this species.
In the UK, it will be more difficult because it is difficult to set limits. I am not saying it is not worth a try but it will be difficult to contain the virus in the southeast of England, especially with the advent of Christmas.
Q: What is the impact of travel on the spread of the variant?
A: "Unfortunately, as far as we know, the Spanish variant, for example, that spread over the summer in Europe, showed that travel and vacations can transmit the virus or mutated versions of it in an incredibly effective way."
The issue is knowing how long we have to wait while trying to find a balance between not acting too quickly, knowing that if we wait too long we risk losing our chance to contain the virus.
Q: How important is genetic sequencing?
A: The safest way to detect this variant is genetic sequencing, which involves completely deciphering the genetic code of the mutated copy to know exactly where it is mutating.
The most important thing is to keep track of these different variants and try to determine if any of them show something of concern like a higher transmission rate, vaccine resistance, or a more severe form of the disease.
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