THE GUARDIAN: BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola, causing concern among scientists because of fear it could be more transmissible
The latest Covid-19 variant, BA.2.86, appears to be spreading in the UK, health surveillance data suggests.
The variant, nicknamed Pirola, has prompted concern among scientists because of the high number of mutations it carries, which raises the possibility that it could evade the immune system more easily or be more transmissible.
In a briefing note on Friday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that an outbreak at a care home in Norfolk and other cases across the UK indicated there was likely to be community transmission of the strain, but said it was too early to judge the full extent of its spread. » | Hannah Devlin, Science correspondent | Friday, September 8, 2023
Oh God! Here we go again! Another year of hibernation and solitude awaits! This could be God's way of preparing us for the eternal nothingness that we can all look forward to in the fulness of time! – © Mark Alexander
