will just when so many people around the world felt that the threat of Corbett was fast evaporating. It now emerges that there are a couple of new strains which are, in a sense, variants of ah Macron itself, which are causing a great deal of infection. It's now out in large numbers, not just in the United Kingdom but in China as well. In fact, they sing way significant lockdowns across China. What exactly is the implication of this? We're joined by Professor Devi Sridhar. Thank you, D V. Very much for being with us zero. We've always spoken about how mutations are bound to take place in terms of this particular mutation. The Banda pacing in the United Kingdom and the one that's now being reported in China are the essentially the same. I think right now the future was saying This is not a variant of concern. Yeah, it is similar, Tom A con. The main issue is a looks like it's more transmissible estimates about 10% more transmissible, which is why we're seeing this surgeon cases everywhere in the world, including here in Britain, as well as in China and other places, too. That's actually quite frightening, in a sense, because oh, me crone was who riff ic lee transmissible. Fortunately, not as dangerous as Delta to have something even more transmissible what we know about science or the way this particular strain moves or attaches itself. Which part of the self Well, I think what we're seeing it, that they're multiple ways of distant entered the sow and in different parts of the body, which is why we are seeing it being able to reproduce and also shared on other people. The real message everyone republic help prospective is that this virus will find you Where is pretty imparts vote to avoid it. So make sure you're vaccinated if you can get a booster that when you are it, suppose you're protected against the really harsh impact. Sick and brain is a disease. Zero. It's now been a couple of months around the world that we have seen Army crone and and so many millions of people around the world would have had only crown and most of them would have gotten better. Is their science now on the efficacy of the existing vaccines against omicron? I asked this because that would also be particularly relevant with the newer straits. Yes, so the great news with this new strain is that it looks like vaccines are just as effective in terms of preventing severe disease and death. And so if you were vaccinated, you have the same protection against this new variant. If you have indoctrinated, you not need a new vaccine or a different vaccine that is good knees. But on the flipside, it is causing a way that it's finding people that much they're vulnerable or elderly or her more cautious. And that is presenting challenges for hospitals because those people will, we know. Even being fully vaccinated might still have to go into hospital for since support. And is that what you're saying in the United Kingdom in terms of numbers? Are, once again, our hospitals being are seeing a large number of people going in? Yes, unfortunately. So here is when our wave of hospitalizations is the highest it's ever been proportionately. People are recovering for death. Rates are much lower. People staying shorter stints in hospital, too, and not going into ICU. The Russia isn't there. It's more general hospital pressure. The other thing receives very high race. One in 12 when 11 1 in 13. These are surveys done in the community with ago when they cast randomly. Try to get a sense of how much viruses there in those are showing from the highest levels we never had across Britain. And now we're hoping in the which had maybe that might Taylor off and will start to see a decline. Are we seeing re infections as well? Yes, Unfortunately, we're seeing people getting it HCI times three times now. Unfortunately, even you know several dozen people who've been tracked having it four times. This is something that will get you again. The hope there was your symptoms will be milder. You can manage it better. But yes, this is the virus. It is because you appoints Disney. He won't get it again. Usually it's a new variants. The people who had the wild time arikat Delta people were Delta Marikana, Micron. And even now we're seeing people who have, um a Krahn might get. It's like Taylor different once. So yesterday in factions are happening and again, you know, it's something we have discussed in the past, but I think it's relevant again. Where is the science as far as getting a new vaccine in terms of something which deals with the various variants, which we've seen so far and perhaps deals with with CA vid in a more holistic manner is is the science available to actually develop that silver bullet? Also, former companies have been very clear they don't want chase variants today. Chase Delta situate by now if they chased a micron. Who knows we're going to have in a few months, today said. We actually want to get ahead of it. And I know Bill Gates to the Gates Foundation Wellcome Trust trying to work towards sterilising vaccine that as a vaccine I mean, once you're back snails, you cannot get infected. So we have against measles, mumps, rubella, a number of other diseases, and that's kind of the big prize. Now, on the next 6 to 8 months, they're hoping can be reached that goal or with this doesn't mutate too much. And so did that mean will always be chasing it a bit like the flu where we tried a match and predict flu strain will be circulating some years again, right? Some years the efficacy is a bit lower and What is the side so far, As far as the science is concerned off this sterilising vaccine, well, it seems like it's very difficult. No, teams are very close to it. It seemed, by most teams, most vaccines across the world. Whether it's the Chinese back steams or Russian are good against severe D illness with stopping infections seems to be a big problem with the virus. That new takes so much and also cause it's circulating across the world takes its prettiest to circulate somewhere in Latin America for e know in the Pacific or East Asia and you get a new variants. And that kind of puts Cuba in terms of your vaccines is not a stable which says the measles virus. And so that's the real difficulty. Now, of course, science has come a long way, but that's kind of the prizes. Then can we do something? We have a minimal d before, but there is no early results yet. We can point you to side. We might have that next Alright. D V, Thank you very much was speaking to us once again sounding caution. I think that's we just need to be careful about this It's not going away any time fast. Thank you very much in the D. V. Killing with us. Thank you.
