The new variant - mi - with the scientific name B.1.621 is the latest mutation of the coronavirus that the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified as a "variant to monitor". Why?
Scientists have warned that the coronavirus continues to mutate as different new variants appear and are being monitored by research teams globally.
One mutation of potential concern, according to the WHO, is the mi (µ) variant, named after the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet.
The so far known variants alpha, beta, gamma and delta are variants classified by the WHO as "of particular concern".
The presence of the alpha variant has been registered in more than 190 countries, and the delta in 170.
While the variants "to be followed" are also eta, iota, kappa and lambda.
Eta was first detected in Great Britain and Nigeria, iota in the United States of America, kappa in India and lambda in Peru.
What is variant mi?
The Mi variant appeared in Colombia in January 2021, and by the beginning of September it was registered in 39 countries.
As stated by the WHO, "mi is a variant with a constellation of a mutation that gives indications of a possible avoidance of the immune response".
One of the worrisome aspects of the mi variant is that initial research shows its ability to evade some of the protections afforded by vaccines.
Most vaccines against COVID-19 target the "protein spikes" the virus uses to enter cells.
Vaccines expose the body to part of the virus, usually protein spikes, so the immune system can learn how to fight the virus.
If the variant has significant changes in the protein spike, it can affect the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The World Health Organization said preliminary evidence suggests that the mi variant may somewhat evade vaccination-derived antibodies.
But since these data are from laboratory studies, it is not possible to say with certainty how the variant mi works in the wider population and further research is needed.
The global spread of the mi variant is low, but there is an increase in these cases in Latin America, the WHO said, stating that in Colombia it is present at 39 percent and in Ecuador at 13 percent with a tendency to increase.
My variant has not yet overtaken the delta, which has spread the fastest in the world.
Scientists and health officials are particularly interested in determining whether the mi variant is more transmissible or causes more serious forms of disease than the delta variant.
"The epidemiological picture of the mi variant in Latin America, especially with the comparative circulation of the delta, will be monitored for further changes," the WHO bulletin stated.
What is a "variant to follow"?
One of the important global responses to the COVID-19 pandemic is the constant monitoring of virus genome sequences, which has never been done on such a large scale so far.
The evolution of the virus is tracked and mapped in real time as it adapts and mutates.
Some of these mutations are harmful to the virus, but others are convenient because they allow it to spread better, avoid the protection offered by vaccines, or even remain hidden in tests for COVID.
If changes in the virus are recorded that have the potential to be harmful to humans, then such a variant is classified in the "should be monitored" category.
What are "variants of concern"?
Four variants – alpha, beta, gamma and delta – are classified as "of concern" because these mutations pose additional risks to public health.
Alpha - This variant first appeared in September 2020 in England and led to a spike in cases and another shutdown in January in the UK. Other countries, especially in Europe, followed the example of Great Britain in imposing restrictions. Alpha dominated in the US at first, and it is the variant that, according to scientists, is 50 percent more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Beta – The variant that first appeared in South Africa in August 2020 led to a large spread of infections that swept across southern Africa. So far, it has been identified in 141 countries.
Gamma - It first appeared in the Amazon in the city of Manaus in December 2020 and caused the spread of infection in Brazil, which led to a shortage of oxygen in this country. It is registered in at least 86 countries.
Delta – The rapidly transmissible variant now registered in more than 170 countries triggered the first major wave of infections in India. Delta is estimated to be 55 percent more transmissible than alpha and nearly twice as contagious as the original strain as of early 2020. This is because those infected with this variant can have significantly more viral particles in their respiratory tracts compared to those infected with other strains.
Effectiveness of vaccines and new variants?
New variants are emerging during the pandemic in populations that have low vaccination rates and have been hit hard by the spread of infections, such as India, Latin America and Africa, and experts say this trend will continue until more people are vaccinated around the world. CBC News.
As The Conversation magazine writes, there is a high probability that among the new variants there will be one that significantly avoids the protection provided by vaccines. This variant would be categorized as "evasive".
It is difficult to know when and how this could happen, but the greater number of transmissions of the infection in the community increases the risks of the appearance of this variant.
The leading manufacturers of COVID vaccines are well prepared if this happens. Some are already developing vaccines for new variants such as delta.
If an "evasive variant" were to be discovered, manufacturers could change existing vaccines to match the new variant, possibly within six to eight weeks. It is assumed that regulators around the world would speed up the approval process. Certain studies are also needed, but they could be done quickly, as long as the new vaccines have the same basis as the existing ones.
The theory of viral evolution predicts that the virus could become more transmissible over time, but less serious because the virus's tendency is to spread as much as possible and not want to kill its host before it does so.
However, SARS-CoV-2 does not necessarily have to be like that, and realistically we are still in the early days of this virus, according to The Conversation.
The best way to combat new variants is to vaccinate as many people as possible, as there will be fewer susceptible hosts for the virus to reproduce and mutate.
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