Pfizer says South African COVID-19 variant could reduce protection by TWO-THIRDS

A laboratory study suggests that the South African variant of the coronavirus may reduce antibody protection from the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE vaccine by two-thirds, and it is not clear if the shot will be effective against the mutation, the companies said on Wednesday. The study found the vaccine was still able to neutralize the virus … Read more

Covid US: Case of SECOND UK super strain, ‘Bristol’ variant, found

First case of ANOTHER UK covid variant – that has a mutation that may weaken vaccines – is discovered in the US, CDC director reveals The US has discovered its first case of the ‘Bristol variant’ that emerged in the UK Variant has same mutations as the UK’s earlier B117 variant that make it 70% … Read more

US finds its first case of the UK ‘Bristol’ variant that may evade vaccines

First case of ANOTHER UK covid variant – that has a mutation that may weaken vaccines – is discovered in the US, CDC director reveals The US has discovered its first case of the ‘Bristol variant’ that emerged in the UK Variant has same mutations as the UK’s earlier B117 variant that make it 70% … Read more

At least 90 cases of highly contagious UK ‘super-covid’ variant are found at Michigan prison

At least 90 cases of the highly contagious ‘super-COVID’ variant from the UK have been identified at a prison in Michigan. Staff and prisoners have been undergoing daily coronavirus testing at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia after a staff member tested positive for the variant, known as B 1.1.7., last week. Of the 90 new cases, … Read more

UK detects 15 more cases of South African coronavirus variant

Public Health England has found another 15 cases of the South African coronavirus variant in the UK taking the total to 217 amid concerns it could make vaccines less effective if it becomes widespread. Surge testing began at the start of February in areas known to have had cases of the variant, in which mass … Read more

UK spots 33 cases of ANOTHER Covid variant

Another coronavirus variant that could dodge vaccine-triggered immunity has been identified in the UK, scientists say.  The strain — called B.1.525 — has been spotted 33 times already but experts say this could be a huge underestimate.  It shares the E484K mutation found on both the South African and Brazilian variants, which make the current … Read more

Germany will shut border with Austria and Czech Republic in bid to keep out UK mutant Covid variant 

Germany will shut its borders with Austria and the Czech Republic from Sunday in a bid to keep out the more infectious mutated UK variant of Covid-19. The country’s southern state of Bavaria, which borders with Austria and the Czech Republic, has already detected variants of the virus in more than 10 percent of confirmed … Read more

Case of South African Covid variant is detected in Middlesbrough

The South African variant of coronavirus, known as B.1.351, has mutations on its outer spike proteins that change the shape of the virus in a way that makes it look different to the body than older versions of the virus. Because the immune system’s antibodies are so specific, any change in the part of the … Read more

California’s homegrown coronavirus variant has now spread to 19 states and SIX countries

A new local strain of the novel coronavirus first identified in California has spread to 19 U.S. states and six countries, a new study finds. The strain, called CAL.20C, was first discovered by researchers at Cedars Sinai Los Angeles in Los Angeles County in July 2020. It went relatively undetected before exploding in the fall … Read more

Covid UK: New Bristol variant could reinfect vaccinated, SAGE warns

Coronavirus infections must plummet to fewer than 10,000 cases before Boris Johnson should start easing brutal lockdown restrictions — and Britons may need to wear masks ‘forever’, No10’s top scientific advisers have warned.  Pushing back against growing calls for Britain to be released from draconian curbs soon, Sir Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust and … Read more