China News Service, January 1 reported that on the evening of December 31, 2020 local time, WHO officially notified the main mutations of the new coronavirus since its emergence, including four variants.
On the same day, the WHO listed the vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and the German Biotech Company as emergency use. This is the first new crown vaccine authorized by the WHO for emergency use.
According to information on the WHO website, the D614G mutation of the new crown virus appeared from late January to early February 2020. In the following months, it gradually replaced the originally discovered strain.
By June 2020, this variant has become the main type of virus circulating worldwide.
Studies have shown that this variant has higher infectivity and transmission ability than the original strain, but it will not cause more serious diseases, nor will it affect the effectiveness of existing diagnosis, treatment, vaccines and public health measures.
Data map: On December 21, 2020, at St. Pancras International Railway Station in London, England, police were on duty in the station.
From August to September 2020, Denmark discovered a variant of a new coronavirus related to farmed mink, named "Cluster 5" by Denmark, with a mutation that had not been observed before.
According to preliminary studies conducted in Denmark, this variant may reduce the scope and duration of immune protection after natural infection or vaccination, and relevant evaluations are still ongoing.
So far, Denmark has only found 12 cases of human infection with this variant in September, and the variant does not appear to have spread widely.
Later, the United Kingdom reported on December 14, 2020, a variant of the new coronavirus named "VOC 202012/01", which first appeared in southeast England.
Preliminary epidemiological studies have shown that this variant has stronger transmission power, but based on the length of hospitalization and 28-day mortality rate, the severity of the disease and the reinfection situation caused by it have not changed, and most diagnostic tools are not affected. .
As of December 30, the variant has been found in 31 other countries and regions in five of the six WHO regions.
In addition, on December 18, 2020, South Africa detected a virus variant with N501Y mutation, and South Africa named it the "501Y.V2" variant, which is rapidly spreading in three provinces in South Africa.
Although the mutant virus previously discovered in the UK also has the N501Y mutation, analysis shows that it is a different variant from that found in South Africa.
Preliminary studies have shown that this variant is associated with a higher viral load or increased infectivity, but there is no evidence that it can cause more serious diseases.
Further investigation is needed.
As of December 30, the variant has been discovered in four countries outside of South Africa.
Data map: On December 14, 2020, Stephanie, a nurse at the Jewish Medical Center in Long Island, New York, was vaccinated against the new crown.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Liao Pan
On the other hand, the World Health Organization listed the vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and the German Biotech Company as being available for emergency use.
The WHO said in a statement that according to a WHO review, the vaccine meets its safety and effectiveness standards.
Currently, the vaccine has been supported by regulatory authorities in the UK, the European Medicines Agency, the US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.