The alterations of the original virus are due to the mixing and spread of the virus between different organisms. Vaccinating ourselves and maintaining all biosecurity protocols continue to be the strategies that will allow us to avoid the circulation of the virus and delay possible mutations that are also a threat to the control acquired over the variants already studied.

All viruses, including COVID-19, mutate. The World Health Organization (WHO) “Viruses make copies of themselves in a process called replication, in which new versions sometimes have small changes. These changes are called “mutations.” A virus that has undergone one or more mutations is a “variant” of the original virus.” These changes in the initial strain influence infectivity or transmissibility that may be less or greater than the version already studied.

The virus mutates to adapt to new environments and, in doing so, becomes a threat to the barriers we have put in place to control it. It says OMS“Some mutations can lead to changes in the characteristics of a virus, such as changes in transmission (for example, it may spread more easily) or severity (it may cause more severe disease).”

Some of the variants that have appeared in some countries and that have been identified, according to the OMS, are the following:

• D614G: It appeared in February 2020 in Denmark, the United Kingdom and South Africa. This has positioned itself on the initial virus.

• Cluster 5: Discovered in September 2020 in Denmark, it is transmitted between farmed minks and appears to spread little.

• SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01: Identified on December 14, 2020, in the United Kingdom, in a few weeks it gradually displaced other strains of the virus, becoming the variant.

• 501Y.V2, detected on December 18, 2020, in South Africa, has similar characteristics to the English SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01 variation. “It has rapidly displaced, according to the OMS, to the other strains circulating in that country. Studies indicate that it is associated with a higher viral load.”

The continued mutation of COVID-19 will yield new variants that may become more prevalent. We must continue to apply all defense mechanisms, blocking and prevention against this threat that, despite vaccination campaigns around the world, and as long as we do not achieve herd immunity, will continue to be a problem.

In the face of uncertainty we need to be informed and communicate precise data to other people so that collective protection remains our main objective. To find timely solutions in health issues that can benefit us, Seguros SURA It accompanies us with scientific information (true and proven) in situations in which we need to know more about what is happening in the world.