A mutated strain of Covid-19 carried by holidaymakers returning from Spain could be partially responsible for the current “second wave” in Europe, a study has suggested. Like all viruses, SARS-CoV-2 mutates as it replicates inside its human hosts. Now it appears that a variant called 20A.EU1, first detected in farm workers in northern Spain in June, is the dominant strain across much of Europe. The Swiss/Spanish study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, found that in September it was present in 40% to 70% of cases in Switzerland, Ireland and the UK. The mutation’s features include an alteration to the spike protein which the virus uses to latch onto cells. However, it remains unclear if this affects its transmission rate, or the symptoms it causes. (The Week, 7 November 2020)

Comment: In all the rejoicing we have seen about the successful approval of the vaccines, nobody has assured us that the latter works with the mutated strain. And if it has mutated that quickly who is to say it won’t do so again before the bulk of the population has a vaccine available to it? I absolutely want to be vaccinated, and have no sympathy with anti-vaccers. Just asking.