Researchers studying COVID-19 and its variants in the United States have expressed concern about a mutation found in New York City that could decrease the effectiveness of vaccines against the virus.
The New York Times reported that researchers at Caltech and Columbia University studied the mutation, called B.1.526. A scientist told the paper that he was more concerned with the variant in New York than with that of California.
The report said the researchers found that the E484K and S477N mutations are present in more than a quarter of the study samples.
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The E484K mutation was called an “escape mutation” because it could help COVID-19 prevent a human immune response, and the S477N mutation creates peak proteins that affect the way it binds to cells.
The document pointed out that the study was not peer-reviewed.
Kristian Andersen, virologist at Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, said: “Given the involvement of E484K or S477N, combined with the fact that the New York area has a lot of permanent immunity against the spring wave, this is definitely one to watch . “