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New highly mutated Covid-19 variant identified in Asia (www.news.com.au)

submitted 1 year ago by Haus@kbin.social to c/news@kbin.social

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A new Covid variant found in Asia is the most mutated version of the virus yet, according to scientists. The morphed Delta variant was swabbed from a patient in Jakarta, Indonesia. It has 113 different mutations, 37 of which affect the spike protein – the part used by the virus to latch on to humans. The new strain has been labelled the “most extreme,” with the Omicron variant having around 50 mutations by comparison.

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[–] palordrolap@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Sigh. What happened to the news that any mutations would weaken the spike protein and thus COVID? Or was that in relation to the vaccines, that is, if a vaccine works for whatever variant(s) the vaccines were for, then all mutations would also be caught by it?

Edit: Reading this back, this sounds anti-vaxx. That's not my intent. I'm pro-vaccine, and got my vaccines at the time.

[–] Blakerboy777@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

@palordrolap

@Haus antivax "just asking questions" bullshit has made us all so cagey about asking genuine questions. Really sucks. I hate that so muvh conspiracy bullshit gets spread via asking loaded disingenuous questions.

I know what you're talking about, basically if the virus mutates the thing that vaccines target, there didn't seem like a very likely pathway to mutate and remain highly contagious. That's not necessarily a general vaccine rule, but it applies to the covid 19 spike protein. No idea how this news relates to that and would love to have some really smart person show up and explain it. Maybe Hank Green will do a video on it?