Scientists have found that the new Covid-19 variant that was reported in the UK has mutated again.
The tests on some samples revealed a mutation, called E484K, which has been reported in the Covid-19 virus in South Africa and Brazil.
Of 214,159 samples tested, 11 people have tested positive for the new mutation.
The worrying cause is that this new mutation in the Covid-19 variant may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, a report quoted scientists said.
The UK has already begun testing for this new variant, E484K in several parts of the country to stop further transmission.
The UK government has also imposed travel restrictions to control its spread.
Since all viruses mutate to adapt and strive, the novel coronavirus is also expected to mutate, though no one can specifically say how many more times.
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Some studies also revealed that the new mutated E484K may help the virus to dodge parts of the immune system called antibodies.
Nevertheless, scientists said that the variants detected so far are mutating in a similar way and not in a completely different manner.
All health experts now stress the need for a strict lockdown to curb the spread of the virus and stop it from evolving further.
As far as the efficacy of vaccines is concerned, Moderna claimed its vaccine to be effective against the new variants, though the body’s immune system may not be very strong for a long time against these mutating variants.
Two new Covid-19 vaccines Novavax and Janssen may offer protection to a certain extent against these variants.
Senior health officials in the UK are of the view that people will now have to be vaccinated at the earliest to prevent being infected by the emerging variants of the novel coronavirus.