According to preliminary studies, the African strain of the coronavirus carries a dangerous feature. It lies in its ability to re-infect people who have already gone through infection with the "normal" coronavirus and have recovered from COVID-19. The new strain 501Y.V2 is able to bypass the action of antibodies.
According to the researchers, mutations in the new variant of the coronavirus allow it to withstand the attack of antibodies. This strain was recorded in the countries of South Africa and began to spread rapidly in the second half of 2020.
This behavior of the virus calls into question the effectiveness of treatment with plasma, as well as some types of vaccines (developed on the basis of immune responses to a virus protein).
If these studies are confirmed and the virus spreads widely an adapted vaccine could be available by the fall of this year. Scientists note that the situation is not pleasant, but quite expected.
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