THE SPREAD OF 3 NEW CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS - A close look at the scientific data

This presentation gathers together all the scientific data about the rapid spread of three new coronavirus variants that are changing how we need to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Mainstream media is too short a form to explain the data behind the decisions being made by governments. We carefully take you through the data that shows these strains have faster transmission rates, carry mutations that help the virus to better infect cells and escape antibodies in our immune system, and that the strains produce more viral load. We take you through the current state of the spread of these variants throughout the globe and discuss the key role of genome sequencing.
TIMESTAMPS:
1:58 The three new coronavirus variants
6:51 Outline of the UK COVID19 testing system
9:01 SGTF or S dropout in the UK PCR test with variant B117
12:26 The rapid spread of variant B117 in the UK
16:57 Epidemiology indicates B117 is 40-70% more transmissible
19:39 Why increased transmissibility is so dangerous
24:34 40% more contacts people infected with B117 catch COVID19
32:40 Clearest evidence yet for considerable transmission in schools
38:00 Why variant B117 is more transmissible
40:02 Evidence for higher viral load from variant B117
46:18 The international spread of variant B117
53:00 The B11351 variant from South Africa
55:55 The international spread of variant B11351
57:03 The P1 variant from Brazil
1:00:06 Comparing the three new COVID19 variants
1:01:47 How genome sequencing is key to managing the pandemic
REFERENCES:
Numbered references are found in the bottom right of the presentation. Here are the sources of information we used in this presentation. Note that most are preliminary results that have not been subject to peer review.
1. go.nature.com/...
2. cov-lineages.org
3. www.cogconsorti...
4. bit.ly/COVVAR4
5. bit.ly/COVVAR5
6. coronavirus.da...
7. bit.ly/COVVAR7
8. bit.ly/COVVAR8
9. bit.ly/COVVAR9
10. bit.ly/COVVAR10
11. bit.ly/COVVAR11
12. bit.ly/COVVAR12
13. bit.ly/COVVAR13
14. bit.ly/COVVAR14
15. bit.ly/COVVAR15
16. bit.ly/COVVAR16
17. bit.ly/COVVAR17
18. bit.ly/COVVAR18
19. bit.ly/COVVAR19
20. bit.ly/COVVAR20
21. bit.ly/COVVAR21
22. • Scientific panel discu...
23. bit.ly/COVVAR23
24. bit.ly/COVVAR24
25. bit.ly/COVVAR25
26. bit.ly/COVVAR26
This presentation is brought to you by Dr Adam West in the College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. We hope you found this video useful. Please support us by liking the video and consider subscribing for more informative content. Feel free to ask questions or provide feedback in the comments section below. Thank you.
www.gla.ac.uk/...
/ genomicsgurus
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Graphics © Adam West and numbered sources cited above
Maps courtesy created at mapchart.net

[@APZeus3]

Really informative with in-depth data , brilliant 👍

[@GenomicsGurus]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you found it helpful!

[@henrymarshpoetry1916]

Clear explanation of a wide range of data - great job

[@GenomicsGurus]

Glad it was helpful!

[@formalscientist1337]

Great Video. Thank you very much!

[@GenomicsGurus]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you found it useful!

[@formalscientist1337]

@@GenomicsGurus Its very useful. Would be great if you could provide an update on the findings from South Africa (also relevant for the Brazilian variant i guess) about loss of neutralization ability by antibodies against the wildtype. The expected impact on the different vaccines would be very interesting.

[@GenomicsGurus]

That's in progress. A very complex topic. Important to say now that no evidence vaccines won't work on the three variants of concern. Known that Pfizer works on B117 and Moderna works on B117 and B11351 so far.

[@formalscientist1337]

@@GenomicsGurus i found the comment "For the B.1.351 variant, vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine produces neutralizing antibody titers that remain above the neutralizing titers that were shown to protect NHPs against wildtype viral challenge. While the Company expects these levels of neutralizing antibodies to be protective, pseudovirus neutralizing antibody titers were approximately 6-fold lower relative to prior variants. These lower titers may suggest a potential risk of earlier waning of immunity to the new B.1.351 strains." in the Moderna Press release quite remarkable and i wondering what this means for the AstraZeneca, given its already initially lower efficacy.

[@vncnthgy]

How about P.3 or the Philippine variant

[@GenomicsGurus]

We may do an update video soon if we have time. P3 may be a descendant of P1 (Brazil) and will be at least as problematic as P1, but has additional spike mutations that may increase antibody escape, improving its transmission. We expect continued accumulation of mutations that benefit the virus until global vaccination reaches over 60% in each locality.