In Great Britain, up to 75 per cent. Infection is the Indian variant. Comment by prof. Persia

The number of infections detected with the Indian variant of the coronavirus in the UK has doubled in a week, Britain’s health minister reports. There are not many infections of this type in Poland yet, but experts warn that it should not be taken lightly.

A variant first identified in India, the so-called B.1.617.2, continues to spread. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the latest estimates suggest that more than half, and possibly up to three-quarters of all new cases, are this variant.

while professor. Krzysztof Pyrć, a virologist from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, commenting on the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) information about the particular risk of the Indian variant due to its ease of transmission, estimated that vaccination alone could protect us against this variant.

Significant increase in infections of the Indian type in Great Britain

According to the UK government’s Public Health England (PHE) agency, 6,959 cases of the Indian type have so far been detected across the country, up from 3,535 in the previous week.
The British Minister of Health said the number Infections with the Indian type are increasing mainly in several hotspots: Bolton, Bedford, Blackburn and Darwin, while still lower in the rest of the country.

The data also show that the vast majority of those infected with the Indian type have not been vaccinated. 29 of the 43 admitted to hospitals were not vaccinated. Only one person was fully vaccinated, and 8 of the 12 deaths were unvaccinated.

In Great Britain, about 74 percent received the first dose of the vaccine. Adults residing in the country, the latter about 46 per cent.

a. Thirst: Only vaccinations will protect us from the Indian alternative

– A few days ago, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recognized one of the variants from the Indian variant: B.1 617.2. As particularly dangerous due to the greater permeability of the primary variant – said virologist PAP Prof. Christophe Berry. – It is able to evade our immune system to some extent, although it has not been found to be more virulent – the expert added. The United Kingdom previously included this variant in its list of hazardous variants.

a. Perry, citing a study published in the British Medical Journal, noted that “the vaccines at our disposal are able to provide immunity against this virus, as long as we take the two doses in the case of two-dose preparations.” (two doses The COVID-19 vaccines used in Poland are: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, single dose is Johnson & Johnson).

– In Poland, we have more and more cases of this virus, but they are still sporadic cases. We currently have information in the database on 32 cases. The question remains, to what extent the appearance of this variable will actually change the epidemiological situation in Poland, said the professor. Throw.

The World Health Organization reports that the B.1.617 coronavirus variant has been found in at least 17 countries around the world. In Europe, according to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), an Indian variant has been found in: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Great Britain, as well as on the French island of Guadeloupe.