UK and other countries are banning travel from India as 'double mutant' variant increases. Even the CDC is warning that vaccinated individuals can get and spread this variant. Open Borders Biden and Democrats do not believe in travel bans, that would be racist. https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladi...iant-first-detected-in-india/?sh=17708f282fb3 ‘Double Mutant’ Covid Variant: Here’s What We Know As Israel Reports Vaccine Efficacy Against Variant First Detected In India Siladitya Ray Forbes Staff Business Covering breaking news and tech policy stories at Forbes. almost 60% of all positive cases in India’s Covid-19 epicenter, Maharashtra, have been caused by the B.1.617 variant. The concerning variant has now also been detected in several countries including the U.K., U.S., Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and several others prompting travel bans and or advisories. Israel on Tuesday registered eight cases caused by the Indian variant—mostly among people arriving from abroad—and reported that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine “has efficacy against it, albeit a reduced efficacy,” Reuters reported. TANGENT On Monday, after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled his planned visit to India, the U.K. added the country to its Covid-19 “red list” which bans entry of all travelers from that country. While announcing India’s addition to the list, U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock implied that the concerning Indian variant was the primary driving force behind the decision. Hancock said the U.K. has found 103 cases caused by the double mutant variant, most of which have links to international travel and have been picked up at the border. While the U.S. has not imposed a similar travel ban, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to India. The CDC also warned that even fully vaccinated individuals may be at risk of catching and spreading the variants found in India. WHAT WE DON’T KNOW Researchers are still trying to answer two big questions about the double mutant variant. Is it more deadlier than other variants and do existing vaccines work against it? According to Bloomberg, the L452R mutation has been well studied in the U.S. and it has shown to increase transmission by around 20% and reduce antibody efficacy by more than 50%. This could imply a blunting of vaccine efficacy, but the reports from Israel suggest that at least one of the vaccines still offers some protection against it. There is no data on the variant’s virulence, and while India has seen a spike in deaths from Covid-19 it has been accompanied by a similarly large spike in new cases. Citing clinical anecdotes, an expert on the Maharastra Covid Task Force told the Indian Express that the variant may spread faster but is likely less virulent and doesn’t cause dramatically more hospitalizations. He contends that the high transmissibility of the virus has led to a rise in absolute numbers of hospitalizations, thereby burdening the health infrastructure. However, this assumption is largely anecdotal. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Genomic sequencing of the virus in India remains severely limited as the country’s health infrastructure is pushed to the limit by the latest surge in Covid-19 cases. The country has a population of 1.4 billion people and is now reporting over 250,000 new Covid-19 cases daily which experts worry may lead to the development of other variants of the virus that may go undetected until they spread into other countries. FURTHER READING There’s a New Virus Variant in India. How Worried Should We Be? (Bloomberg) Explained: B.1.617 variant of Covid-19 and the surge (Indian Express) Five Cases of ‘Double Mutant’ Variant First Seen In India Also Found In California (The Wire)
Experts warn Australia needs to reset hotel quarantine while India flights are paused By Rachel Clun and Katina Curtis Updated April 27, 2021 Experts warn Australia must use the next three weeks without flights from India to reset the fragmented national hotel quarantine program and acknowledge that airborne transmission between rooms is a risk. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia would pause all direct flights from India until May 15 as that country grapples with a wave of COVID-19 cases. Australia will also urgently send millions of pieces of personal protective equipment and 500 non-invasive ventilators to India, as well as 100 oxygen concentrators, tanks and consumables.