Indian Covid Variant

[Sunk]

The new variant is causing a big increase in new cases and deaths in India. There are calls for India to be added to the red list of countries where it is forbidden to travel.

Boris Johnson is flying to India at the end of the month for talks (which presumably could be done over Zoom instead).

Surely he MUST cancel this junket ?

[emmie]

he can't do anything right in your eyes. Why bother posting when you blatantly hate him and the tories.

[Bobbisox1]

You and Gulliver have hatred running through yous like a stick of Blackpool rock,must be hard work and a lot of energy to keep it up!

[theprof]

Peter, forgive my absence from AB for a few weeks. I've been otherwise occupied in this BSL level 4 laboratory and have had little time to myself in recent weeks.

B.1.617 is a double mutant virus with E484Q and L452R spike protein mutations currently being causes of concern. E484Q is remarkably similar to E484K mutation (aka "eek"mutation) that is present in the South African and Brazilian variants. L452R has previously been found in the B.1.427 and B.1.429 variants circulating wildly in California.

In the E484Q spike protein mutation, glutamine is substituted for glutamic acid. In theory, this diminishes ACE2 binding and may increase immune evasion. In the L452R, there is a leucine to arginine substitution with similar issues.

That's the technical stuff over. Laboratory work on B.1.617 is ongoing 24 hours a day and I hope to have the answers we need soon.

[Peter Pedant]

many thanks for taking the time to answer

how has it distorted the receptor binding site
and it is likely to cause vaccine escape

or is it a case or - - wait and see

[Peter Pedant]

oops sozza re read it
asnwered thnks

[Peter Pedant]

// You and Gulliver have hatred running through yous like a stick of Blackpool rock//

no

You and Gulliver have hatred running through your veins like battery acid. You vie with Lady Macbeth with bile - turn milk to gall etc

[Old_Geezer]

Hmm.... read the title as 'Indian Covid Restaurant', was thinking, "Better order Chinese delivery tonight, then".

[Peter Pedant]

yeah I misread Vagus for vagina and all that happens is I get zapped. I read the cause of death in the fella as compression of the v nerve which was about as interesting as it got

[naomi24]

Sometimes you just have to laugh. :o)

[gulliver1]

16.04,....... "hatred running through yous" ........
what does "yous " mean ?.and whats Blackpool got to do with Boris going to India?.

[jno]

India will be on the red list from Friday, so yes, plenty of time for infected travellers to take off for Heathrow.

[Peter Pedant]

yous is a plural common in Manchester - - an da Norf
you knew that really didnt you