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by: monotreme1000 | January 17, 2021
Hydra
There are at least 3 new strains of SARS-2 with functional mutations, B.1.1.7 (UK), B.1.351 (South Africa), B.1.1.248 (Brazil).
There is good evidence that each of these strains contains one or mutations that make it more infectious than the original SARS-2 virus. Mask and social distancing policies that worked with the original SARS-2 have failed with the new strains. In countries where the new strains have taken hold, only the most draconian policies will be effective in stopping exponential spread.
Although there has been suggested that the currently available vaccines will be effective against the UK strain, there is less certainty that this will be true against the South African and Brazilian strains. Indeed, there is evidence in Brazil that previous infection with the original SARS-2 strain does NOT protect against the new Brazilian strain.
We are assured that drug companies can quickly switch to a new vaccine, if necessary, due to mRNA vaccine technology. This is true, but is a misleading statement. It implies that there will be no problem in adapting to the changing virus. This is almost certainly false.
In less than a year, three new strains of SARS-2 with functional changes have emerged. Each of these strains has not stopped mutating. Hence, producing new vaccines is a moving target. There are almost certainly other new strains emerging, some perhaps in the United States. How many new vaccines can we rapidly produce and deploy? Even producing and deploying one vaccine has proved challenging, to say the least.
We should do the best we can with vaccines. But these will not be enough. Passenger travel bans are the only answer. How many people will have to die before politicians and public health leaders accept this?
Gnosis
Scientists in the United States invented most of the sequencing technologies currently used to identify new strains of SARS-2. Yet, we have done relatively little sequencing of SARS-2 compared to other countries such as the UK? Why?
Francis Collins, head of the NIH, has an enormous budget and has tremendous expertise and contacts in the sequencing community. He has failed to do his job and apply the money he controls to an obvious need.
Eric Lander has recently been appointed top scientific advisor to President-Elect Biden. He currently directs the Broad Institute, one of the best sequencing centers in the US. I sincerely hope that he will use his position to make sure that the US fully utilizes its resources to sequence large numbers of SARS-2 samples, analyze the results, and give President-Elect Biden honest input about the multiplying strains of SARS-2.
Janus
I try to avoid discussing politics except as it relates to the pandemic. Nonetheless, some people have wondered what my politics is and whether it influences my thinking. In fact, it is the other way around. I have no loyalty to any political party or politician. I abhor cults of personality and consider them dangerous to our democracy. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats. I make my decisions about whom to vote for based on which politician is likely to do the most good at the time that they are running for office. My opinion about them may change in subsequent elections.
I am totally opposed to any hint of totalitarian government, whether it be Communist or Fascist. I also consider anarchists to be a threat to this country, both Antifa and Boogaloo Boys.
Anyone who proposes to usurp the rights of the citizens in this country, whether through violence or lies is my enemy. Anyone who supports the Constitution and the Rule of Law is my friend.
[Apologies for mixing Greek and Roman myths and stretching their meaning].
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'A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.'
--Confucius
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