New more worrisome South Africa strain: the new 501.V2 variant has troubling details:

—seems to spread faster

—higher viral load

—possibly more severe among young adults

—2 of 3 mutations in 501.V2 **reduce virus sensitivity to some antibodies**
https://www.businessinsider.co.za/what-we-know-about-the-new-strain-of-the-coronavirus-2020-12

2) The lower virus sensitivity of new South Africa to some antibodies mean that previously adapted antibodies may not be as effective against this new variant. These mutations were not seen in new variants in the UK and Australia.

3) We do not yet know the how it could affect vaccines. But in some ways, this is very troubling.

Mkhize (South Africa health ministers believes the already developed vaccines should still be effective against 501.V2, but though likely, that is not guaranteed just yet.

4) Unlike in the UK and Australia, where their new variants are uncommon, South Africa's 501.V2 variant is widespread, and experts say it's driving the concerning second Covid-19 wave in South Africa.

5) To be clear, this South Africa strain 501.V2 is separate of the new UK strain named VUI-2020212/01. But the UK strain is not that uncommon anymore— it’s now 62% of all the #SARSCoV2 cases in London alone. Thread on other UK strain https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1340487062903001090

6) As the South African health minister Mmhize says, the higher viral loads seen in the new South Africa strain may lead to “higher efficiency of transmission” — translation: more contagious person to person potentially. https://twitter.com/drzwelimkhize/status/1339976651908804608

7) Here is the view of the new South Africa strain (darker blue) and the UK new strain (green) genotypes at the 501 site.

https://nextstrain.org/groups/neherlab/ncov/S.N501?c=gt-S_501,69&p=grid&r=country