Covid, the new XBB variant scares scientists: “Never so contagious”
With the arrival of cold weather and the end of anti-Covid restrictions, infections appear to be increasing and the number of beds occupied by positive patients is also growing. The experts are now starting one new alert due to variant identified in Singaporethat would even more contagious than the previously found strains.
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Is called XBB the new variant worrying Singapore (and beyond). In the country, infections tripled in 24 hours from 4,700 on Monday October 10 to 11,700 the following day. The first cases were also registered in Hong Kong and it is feared that infections could soon increase in the rest of the continent, with the risk that the variant will also spread abroad.
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The XBB variant derives from omicron and as reported by the Daily Beast, it’s more contagious than the previous ones. The new strain of the virus appears to be able to avoid monoclonal therapiesrendering several drugs previously used to treat Covid ineffective.
This explains Amesh Adalja, a public health expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, who said: “It’s probably the most evasive option from an immunological point of view and poses problems for the current monoclonal antibody-based treatment and prevention strategy”.
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Fortunately, there is no shortage of good news. In fact, according to the expert, The new bivalent vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna seem suitable against XBB. The first vaccines, on the other hand, would not be able to counteract the variant.
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Scientists discovered XBB back in August, and at least it counts now 7 new mutations, which makes it difficult for our immune system to recognize them. It is no coincidence that the new variant seems to be able to do this Antibodies escape, enter and infect cells.
The risk is not isolated: experts reiterate that the creation of new variants could negate the effectiveness of current immune systems and facilitate infection. According to scientists, it is necessary Update the vaccine according to the new variants and arrange a annual recall.