Dr. Fauci says this is what is ‘disturbing’ about a new COVID strain

When you think that COVID cannot give us more to worry about, it generates another strain to continue wreaking havoc on the world. Behind the United Kingdom strain, which is now in 10 states in the United States, another variant of the virus first identified in South Africa is causing concern. Both variants proved to be more transmissible, making it easier for the virus to spread faster. Now, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is warning about another “disturbing” problem that the South African strain may present. To see what Fauci has to say about the strain, keep reading and for more information about the South African strain, check out Dr. Fauci just issued this alert about another new COVID strain.

Read the original article at Better life.

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Antibody treatments may not work against the South African strain.

One of the most useful tools to combat COVID is the monoclonal antibody treatments used to help patients with severe COVID. However, Fauci said there is a chance that these treatments will not be effective against the South African strain of COVID. CNBC reports that, after discussions with health experts in South Africa, Fauci said the first data suggests that there is “a greater threat” that the strain may escape some of the protections that antibody treatments provide to patients.

“It may be having some impact on protection for monoclonal antibodies and perhaps even for the vaccine. We don’t know that,” said Fauci during a question and answer session for the Schmidt Futures’ Forum on Preparedness on January 12.

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Antibody treatments target a specific component of the virus that the strain may have mutated.

During a December 30 discussion with the Governor of California Gavin Newsom, Fauci explained that antibody treatments work against a “very specific component of the virus,” called the spike protein. Therefore, if that component is changed in a mutation, it can make treatment less powerful.

On the other hand, “when you are vaccinated, the immune response you make … acts against many different parts of the virus,” said Fauci, indicating that vaccines are likely to work against these strains. For more vaccine news, see If you take these OTC drugs, you need to stop before getting the vaccine.

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Fauci says that we must take the tension seriously.

“People ask me, ‘Are you worried about this?’ It’s not the kind of thing that concerns me, but it’s the kind of thing that I take very seriously, ”said Fauci during the forum.

In a discussion of the UK strain with NPR on January 7, Fauci said the new strain is “serious enough, we have to pay attention to it. We can’t just ignore it.” He added: “You should always be concerned when you see mutations that have a functional capacity.” And for the most up-to-date COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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An antibody treatment company is unsure whether its product will work against the South African strain.

On January 12, President and CEO of Eli Lilly Dave Ricks told CNBC that the company expects its treatment with monoclonal antibodies to be effective in treating the British strain of COVID, but he was less confident about the South African strain.

“The South African variant … is the cause of concern. It has more dramatic mutations in this peak protein, which is the target” of antibody treatment, said Ricks. “Theoretically, this could elude our medications.” And for more information on the UK variant, see Dr. Fauci just made this scary prediction about the UK’s COVID strain.

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The South African strain is not yet confirmed to be in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not identified any cases of the South African COVID strain in the United States. However, there were at least 72 cases of the UK strain reported in the United States on January 11. which claims that the UK strain is up, check out the new COVID strain is now in these 10 states.

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