Coronavirus live updates: California orders thousands of body bags as Moderna vaccine nears approval – The Washington Post
British officials identify coronavirus mutations, but significance remains unclear
By William Booth and Joel Achenbach
LONDON — As vaccines are rolling out, the coronavirus is on the move as well, not merely spreading but also mutating, and possibly becoming more transmissible. There is no evidence that these changes are making the virus deadlier, but new research has provided evidence that the virus is not a static target of vaccines and will need to be watched closely to see how it responds to therapeutic interventions and the human immune system.
The issue of mutations sparked headlines across Britain after a top government official, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, stood in the House of Commons on Monday and announced that more than 1,000 confirmed coronavirus infections in southeast England show a suite of genetic mutations that might be driving the surge in that region.
At a news conference Monday evening, neither Hancock nor England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, released enough data to help the public understand the significance of the new variant.
That left scientists scrambling to fact-check the public pronouncements. More information began trickling out Tuesday.
