SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Paushaly Sau
Spring 2021
As we near the one year mark of our new reality, living in a world ridden with the coronavirus, fear begins anew when considering the newfound rise of SARS-CoV-2 variants of the coronavirus. It is absolutely crucial to become aware of the simple fact that viruses can, and will, mutate. Although there are vaccines that are administered to the population, any slight abandonment of public health safety measures by the population may potentially renew transmission of coronavirus mutants across the globe.
Virus variants are created by mutations, which change the genetic code of the virus (CDC, 2021). However, where the variation occurs is crucial. Mutations may occur in regions of the virus genetic code that control the virus’s ability to spread disease and the severity of the disease (CDC, 2021). If these mutations allow the virus to better survive, then the ‘survival of the fittest’ theory will ensure that the most potent form of the virus will continue to propagate; this may cause the virus to become a much more serious issue. When bringing the current pandemic to context, such mutations may cause the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the COVID-19 disease, to become even more dangerous to global well-being and survival. Fig. 1. outlines the genomic breakdown of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, and the portions of the genome where mutations may cause catastrophic effects.
Fig.1. Diagram of the Coronavirus genome
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) outlines three major coronavirus variations that are quite concerning and under strict surveillance. These variants are as follows:
B.1.1.7:
This SARS-CoV-2 variant emerged in the United Kingdom around Fall 2020, and it has now become the most common coronavirus, responsible for 60% of COVID-19 cases in the UK (CDC, 2021). Furthermore, this mutant has been detected in fifty-two other countries and forty-two US states (Lee, 2021; Corum & Zimmer, 2021).
Recent research has shown that this strain has increased its transmissibility by 56% compared to SARS-CoV-2’s transmissibility (Lee, 2021). Moreover, preliminary research has shown that B.1.1.7 is 35% more deadly than other SARS-CoV-2 variants (Corum & Zimmer, 2021). Fortunately, COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to protect against this variant (Corum & Zimmer, 2021).
P.1:
This variant emerged in Brazil quite recently in January 2021 (CDC, 2021). Unfortunately, the upsurge of cases due to this new strain in Manaus, Brazil has led to a second collapse of the local health-care system (Danner, 2021). The Manaus community hasalready been drained of health resources and professionals due to the current SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, so the new mutant virus completely decimated their existing infrastructure. This horrific socioeconomic effect signifies that the consequences of such mutations go far beyond genetic code changes; there are ‘macro-consequences’ that may result from such variations. This strain also grew in prevalence quickly, already detected in 42% of samples taken for study in Manaus (Danner, 2021). P.1. was detected in the US in January 2021 (Corum & Zimmer, 2021).
B.1.351:
This strain emerged in South Africa andwas also detected in the US in January 2021 (CDC, 2021). This variant is of concern since vaccine clinical trials have determined that the available COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against B.1.351 (Corum & Zimmer, 2021).
These three major variants share a mutation in the D614G spike protein of the original Wuhan strain SARS-CoV-2 virus. This mutation “gives the variants the ability to spread more quickly,” rendering these variants more infectious than the currently predominating virus (CDC 2021). Therefore, such variants are of major concern since they may bring unforeseen challenges that will be difficult to overcome.
However, hope is still on the horizon with the introduction of successful COVID-19 vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna! In fact, these three major variants, and other less common ones, are still widely preventable with the COVID-19 vaccines in the global market.
In order to protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19 and other mutated coronaviruses, the CDC still recommends that we continue to vaccinate if we have access to vaccines, use masks, practice proper hygiene and frequent sanitization, and ensure appropriate isolation and quarantine policies when traveling or being exposed to COVID-19 and its variants (CDC, 2021). Regardless of the strain, these policies will ensure that we limit the risk of transmission and infection to protect global public health.
References
Bollinger, R., & Ray , S. (2021, February 22). New variants of coronavirus: What you should know. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/a-new-strain-of-coronavirus-what-you-should-know.
CDC. (2021, February 12). About Variants of the Virus that Causes COVID-19. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html.
CDC. (2021, February 2). Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance.html.
CDC. (2021, January 31). SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance/variant-info.html.
Corum, J., & Zimmer, C. (2021, February 9). Coronavirus Variants and Mutations. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/health/coronavirus-variant-tracker.html?auth=login-google.
Danner, C. (2021, January 26). What We Know About the New P.1 Strain of the Coronavirus. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/what-we-know-about-the-p1-variant-of-the-coronavirus.html.
Lee, R. (2021, January 19). B.1.1.7: What we know about the Novel SARS-COV-2 VARIANT. https://asm.org/Articles/2021/January/B-1-1-7-What-We-Know-About-the-Novel-SARS-CoV-2-Va.