Category: Wales
S-variant SARS-CoV-2 associated with significantly higher viral loads
“This analysis suggests that patients whose samples exhibit the S-dropout profile in the TaqPath test are more likely to have high viral loads at the time of sampling. More...
The new SARS-CoV-2 variant is growing rapidly, is more transmissible, and affecting a greater proportion of under 20s
Greater transmission : The new variant has a transmission advantage of 0.4 to 0.7 in reproduction number compared to the previously observed strain. More...
UK approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus. More...
Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant – Variant of Concern 202012/01
“Preliminary results from the cohort study found no statistically significant difference in hospitalisation and 28-day case fatality between cases with the variant (VOC-201212/01) and wild-type comparator cases. More...
Independent Sage: Place all regions of England in Tier 4 to suppress spread of coronavirus
Independent Sage:
#We believe that the government must immediately:
- Rescind a relaxation of the rules and ban household mixing on Christmas Day (apart from exemptions and pre-existing bubbles)
- Place all regions of England in Tier 4 to suppress spread of the virus as far as possible while scientists continue to learn more about the new variant.
SAGE: Keep UK secondary schools closed in January
SAGE scientists have urged Boris Johnson, the UK’s prime minister, to keep secondary schools closed in January because of concerns about a new, more virulent strain of coronavirus. More...
Estimated transmissibility and severity of novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 in England
“..the increase in transmissibility is likely to lead to a large increase in incidence, with COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths projected to reach higher levels in 2021 than were observed in 2020, even if regional tiered restrictions implemented before 19 December are maintained”. More...
Professor Devi Sridhar: “The UK situation with this new variant is not good”
More...From everything I can gather, the UK situation with this new variant is not good.
New UK coronavirus mutation N501Y ‘identified in September’. Also seen in Denmark and Australia
A World Health Organisation (WHO) official has said a new strain of coronavirus in the South East was identified in September. More...
New UK coronavirus mutation “may be associated with rodent/mustelid adaptation”
“What else do we know about mutations at S:501 more generally? More...