Thread: Corona Virus

And now we have the Lambda variant beginning to concern scientists. We are going to become familiar with the greek alphabet this year. We went from Delta to Lambda. I wondered what happened to Epsilon to Kappa. It appears there are two classifications. Variants of Concern and Variants of Interest. Lambda is on the Variants of Interest at the moment (same list has Epsilon to Kappa) but it appear it is being considered for an upgrade. It appears it may be more contagious again and again questions about the efficacy of current vaccines. *sigh*

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants

Covid 19 coronavirus: Lambda strain hits UK - NZ Herald

There will always be questions about vaccine efficacy for variants - the vaccines teach the body to be ready for a particular virus that the body identifies by the proteins on the surface of the virus. If the new virus variant changes the proteins on the surface of the virus, it is a matter of chance whether these will spoil the ability of the body's immune system to recognise it. Some of the current vaccines (especially the mRNA ones) use proteins that the developers consider are essential to the virus's infection mechanism, so that any variant that uses the same mechanism will be attacked by the immune system. But, of course, this "consider" is not the same as "know". There is still a lot to learn about virus infection mechanisms!

Yep, it is interesting to see so many rapid developments of variants.

I guess from my perspective as a non-medical person, I get the flu jab and this is based on variants of flu prevalent in various spheres that lead to people thinking it will make it here so they include the appropriate ingredients in the annual flu jab.

Here we are in our second winter of this thing and it has changed so much in such a short time period. It will be interesting to see how much the mRNA vaccines can be rapidly fine-tuned to this rapid evolution.

Originally Posted by windsock

Yep, it is interesting to see so many rapid developments of variants.

I guess from my perspective as a non-medical person, I get the flu jab and this is based on variants of flu prevalent in various spheres that lead to people thinking it will make it here so they include the appropriate ingredients in the annual flu jab.

Here we are in our second winter of this thing and it has changed so much in such a short time period. It will be interesting to see how much the mRNA vaccines can be rapidly fine-tuned to this rapid evolution.

Tuning may be required "Israel sees decline in Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine efficacy rate due to Delta variant" from 94% to 64 %. Noting Flu vax is over 50% so 64% is still very good. Link to Singapore article

Other news for me is want happens if we gave out 5 doses and do not have anyone else available to give the 6th dose. Pfizer is a 6 dose bottle for us.

Its a bit dry and target to Medical Link

We will be able to stick it in any willing arm happily. My waiting list will be first then anyone in the room who hasn't can have it if they want it of course Minute 24 in the link!

I am not medical either, but I have a sixty year career in science, read widely in technical literature (not conspiracy theories) - and have a vested interest in how my body works.

The Lambda variant has an unusual set of mutations compared to other variants, according to Jeff Barrett, director of the Covid-19 Genomics Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK. Barrett said a lack of genetic sequencing facilities in South America made it difficult to know the extent to which lambda was driving the regions Covid-19 outbreaks. Lambda has a unique pattern of 7 mutations in the spike protein that the virus uses to infect human cells. Researchers are particularly intrigued by one mutation which is similar to the mutation believed to contribute to the high infectiousness of the Delta variant.

Lambda Covid variant’s ‘unusual’ mutations puzzle scientists | Financial Times (ft.com)

The Wellcome Sanger Institute;


The Sanger Institute – Wellcome Sanger Institute

Investigators claim Covid spread in Italy before the official confirmation. How does that fit with the Wuhan escape conspiracy?

Prosecutors examine claims Covid spread in Italy before official confirmation | Coronavirus | The Guardian

The case for MORE Australian lock downs. Modellers, economists and public health experts have crunched the numbers and given the tick to longer lock downs. They say Early financial pain , leads to benefit to the economy in the long term. From the New Daily;

The case for more Australian lockdowns as Sydney hits critical point (thenewdaily.com.au)