A note on COVID-19 variants, old and new

  A number of COVID-19 variants have appeared, first time in many parts of the world but seems to be spreading to other countries. Increased travel and relaxing will only promote spreading virus variants and controlling the virus spread will be difficult. 

Here is an image of collated information from various sources (obviously incomplete) across the Internet.

 

Here is a list of variants identified by MAKO laboratories.

Here are some links that you may be interested in (the titles are in bold):

 

Covid-19: The E484K mutation and the risks it poses

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n359

Covid-19: Novavax vaccine efficacy is 86% against UK variant and 60% against South African variant

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n296

Scientists In US' Oregon Find B.1.1.7 Variant With 'E484K', Mutation Also Found In India

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/scientists-in-us-oregon-find-b-dot-11-dot-7-variant-with-e484k-mutation-also-found-in-india.html

Another New Coronavirus Variant Now Detected In 13 Countries (B.1.125)

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/global-event-news/another-new-coronavirus-variant-now-detected-in-13-countries.html

There is also a new variant from India, the Indian variant:

The Indian variant is given the designationB.1.617 which has two mutations, E$*$Q and L452R

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/news/local/double-mutant-covid-19-variant-first-discovered-in-india-now-found-in-the-us/77-176b256f-35df-4931-923a-0fb5cd527678?jwsource=cl

More here:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/indian-covid-19-variant-found-in-u-s-across-globe-as-foreign-help-arrives-11619545081

One has to be careful as this variant according to Indian scientists evade immune response:

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-scientists-flag-virus-mutations-that-could-evade-immune-response-2021-05-01/

Vaccination in Brazil is broiled in controversies

 Brazil is one of the countries hard-hit by the coronavirus. It has not reached a plateau or, decreasing. This is what it looks like from a Google search,

This certainly does not look good. Brazil, through its well-known Butantan Institute, is conducting a Phase-3 study of the Sinovac vaccine, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/13/chinas-sinovac-vaccine-reportedly-50point4percent-effective-in-brazilian-trial.html.

The study says that the vaccine is 50.4% although earlier it was claimed to have 75% effectiveness. The side effects, if any, were mild and lasted a short time. With 50.4%, it barely meets the threshold for approval. 

Barring this effectiveness number, the Sinovac vaccine is cheaper and can be store in a refrigerator. The Sinovac vaccine is also under trial in Turkey, Indonesia.

This is news on Reuters some 3 days ago regarding the Sinovac use in Brazil. Note that this is the result of a small study.:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-sinovac/sinovac-vaccine-may-not-trigger-sufficient-antibody-response-to-brazil-variant-study-idUSKBN2AX0KK

There are also reports of misappropriation of vaccines that may carry 12-year imprisonment.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/18/brazil-fake-covid-vaccinations-allegations

There is a gap between the have and have-nots in Brazil which is perhaps more prominent than in other places. Now, it appears the rich are trying to arrange their own supply of vaccines through private clinics according to this;

https://apnews.com/article/brazil-wealthy-coronavirus-vaccine-c1e157ac56985dcb6f3931f31a1c3ff6

Brazil will also be producing its own vaccine.

https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/saude/noticia/2021-03/governors-want-speedy-sputnik-v-production-brazil

Brazil is also planning to buy India's locally developed vaccine, Covaxin.  There appear to be some objections from concerned people that the vaccine has not completed the Phase 3 studies. Perhaps they are not aware of the latest results:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55748124

The following image is from the above link:

COVID-19 vaccines in Phase III trial

The following are the vaccines in Phase III testing phase

Moderna with National Institutes of Health USA

Launched Phase III on July 27,2020
US Government support `1 billion US$

BioNTech with Pfizer (NY) and Fosun Pharma(China)
Launched July 27 Phase III with 30,000 volunteers from 4 countries

US government offered $1.9 billion for 100 million doses


AstraZeneca with Oxford University

In Phase III trials in the UK, Brazil and South Africa

Wuhan Institute of Biological Products C0., LTD

Sinopharm launched Phase II trials in July in UAE
15,000 people participating

Sinovac, China
Phase III in Brazil in July

Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Testing the Tuberculosis vaccine in Phase III

Source of this post:  https://tinyurl.com/y9qjt4re