SARS-CoV-2 Gives Us VUI–202012/01 for Christmas

More than once I’ve mentioned how viruses evolve and the implications of letting SARS-CoV-2 spread easily. The new variant that has emerged in the UK has been given the sexy label VUI – 202012/01. That means it is the first variant under investigation in December of this year. First and foremost, we don’t need to panic about it. But we should pay attention.

Viruses mutate. That’s normal. Up to now only one variant of this novel coronavirus went into widespread general circulation and made a significant difference for humans. That variant from several months ago does not seem to be more potent but spreads more readily than the original strain. It is the variant Europe and the USA in particular have been contending with the most.

So far it is believed that the new variant in the south of Britain will have similar impact, not causing more serious illness but perhaps spreading even more easily. We won’t know for sure until scientists get a closer look at it.

But this variant includes a mutation that affects how the spike protein is encoded. That’s why we should pay attention.

The virus uses the spike to infect host cells, so changes in that aspect of the virus can affect how easily it is able to infect us. The spike is the first piece of the virus that our bodies encounter. Vaccine development has tended to concentrate on helping the immune system recognize the spike protein and ramp up a response right away. If the spike protein changes too much, our new vaccines may need to be modified to recognize the new spike. That takes time. We would all rather be able to take the vaccines that are coming out now and, sometime in the foreseeable future, be able to lower our guard instead of going back to nearly the beginning.

It looks like maybe we are lucky again and even this new variant doesn’t change the spike protein too much. But if you are tempted to ease up for the holidays, you might want to reconsider. Quiet, small holiday celebrations with only the household we live in this year are a way to protect each other now and also, by limiting opportunities for the virus to mutate, help us get to next year’s holidays with no troublesome mutations.

To paraphrase a song, all I want for Christmas is to starve the virus out. How about you?