Read on Twitter
on the new #SARSCoV2 variant identified in the UK. 1st: I’d like to invite you to listen to my primer videos on what a mutation is and what it can or cannot do
Part 1: https://twitter.com/denovo_fatima/status/1340429405252927492?s=21
Part 2: https://twitter.com/denovo_fatima/status/1340439089934381056?s=21 https://twitter.com/denovo_fatima/status/1340429405252927492
since the start of the pandemic #scientists from all around the 
have been sequencing the genome of #SARSCoV2 & depositing the data in a publicly available database: https://nextstrain.org 
we have been keeping an eye on the evolution of the virus
at the ancestry of the UK variant, some of its mutations have occurred multiple times around the , but not all of them have become prominent maybe the additive effect of multiple mutations has made this version prominent in UK. We just don’t know yet!
mutation could make 
more transmissible but currently we just don’t have the data to distinguish whether this variant is more transmissible & whether if has “grown” more due to environmental factors! Phylodynamics and phylogeography experts are looking into this.
Could it impact #diagnosis: clearly the diagnostics have been working fine since infection w/ this variant are identified. PCR probes certain portions of the viral 
, if the difference b/w the common & new variants becomes too great, we can easily start probing other regions
Could it affect #Vaccines: I want to emphasize that this variant is one of the THOUSANDS of “variants” that have evolved over time & LOTS of people are monitoring changes the target regions on the spike proteins are selected to reflect these variations.
mRNA vaccines gives our cells instruction to produce part of the spike & not the whole thing.Our B cells can identify lots of different fragments of this foreign partial protein
a mutation can impact maybe a couple of fragmentssome B cells cld still recognize the fragments
so the vaccine could still be effective. Again, lots of experts looking into this & we will have more data!
Key is to remember: not all mutations will cause meaningful changes. Lastly, currently there is no evidence this variant can cause more severe disease.
So we just don't have enough data to say whether this variant is more transmissible or more dangerous!Don't let the media hype or potentially politicians using "virulent variant" as
to distract you!keep your eye on the ball:
, #StayHome 
if you can & be excited for #vaccine
