Story at a glance
- Two U.S. citizens with no travel history tested positive for the South African COVID-19 variant.
- The mutations are more transmissible, but drug companies say their vaccines will still work.
The South African variant of the coronavirus, scientifically denoted as B.1.351, has officially been detected in two people in South Carolina, state officials reported Thursday.
Featuring mutations in the binding receptors that coat the COVID-19 spike protein, the South African variant is regarded as more contagious than the original coronavirus that emerged toward the end of 2019.
South Carolina authorities noted that the two people diagnosed with the new strain did not report traveling prior to contracting the virus.
“The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” said Brannon Traxler, South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) interim public health director. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together.”
U.S. scientists detected the two cases using laboratory samples, and DHEC said it will continue to perform tests of random biological samples to gauge the COVID-19 variant’s presence in the state.
While B.1.351 may be more transmissible, no evidence yet suggests that it causes a more severe COVID-19 infection.
Mutations in viruses are a common occurrence, and are how viruses adapt to continue spreading. Another similar, more contagious COVID-19 strain was reported in the United Kingdom earlier this year, and Ohio scientists are currently researching a potential new variant that could have originated within the U.S.
Pharmaceutical companies and public health officials have worked to assuage the public that approved and developing COVID-19 vaccines will still be largely effective against new mutations.
Some companies, including Moderna, are working on manufacturing booster shots to help its original vaccine release specific antibodies to fight new COVID-19 variants.
“As we seek to defeat the COVID-19 virus, which has created a worldwide pandemic, we believe it is imperative to be proactive as the virus evolves. We are encouraged by these new data, which reinforce our confidence that the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine should be protective against these newly detected variants,” Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s CEO, said in the statement.
With vaccine distribution set to increase across states, public health measures remain the safest way to halt the spread of COVID-19 until herd immunity has been reached.
“We know that viruses mutate to live and live to mutate,” Traxler added. “That’s why it’s critical that we all continue to do our part by taking small actions that make a big difference. These include wearing our masks, staying at least six feet apart from others, avoiding large crowds, washing our hands, getting tested often, and when we can, getting vaccinated. These are the best tools for preventing the spread of the virus, no matter the strain.”
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