Brits could face new Covid jabs if Eris strain resistant to vaccine, expert says
Brits could face another round of jabs against the new Covid variant an expert has warned, as a new map reveals the current UK hotspots.
Reports of the new ultra-mutated Omicron strain - given the official title 'Eris' - have already begun appearing across the UK in recent weeks. According to maps showing the seven day case rate per 100,000 people, the areas of West Devon, Waverley in Surrey, North Somerset and South Derbyshire currently have the highest reported Covid rates.
The main symptoms of Eris reported so far are similar to the flu, including a sore throat, runny nose, blocked nose, sneezing, dry cough, headache, hoarse voice, muscle aches and altered smell. One leading clinical expert has told The Mirror it was too early to tell whether the new mutation is any more or less deadly than previous strains, but that the latest reports may mean scientists may have to create new vaccines if it proves to be resistant to the current Omicron jab.
Dr Bharat Pankhania says a new jab may have to created if the new strain proves resilient to the current vaccine (ITV)Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter's medical school, told The Mirror: "It's too early to say if this strain is more of a pathologic virus at the moment. I was first aware of new cases being reported about four weeks ago. This is not a UK-specific strain, there have been cases all around the world."
He urged Brits to keep buildings well ventilated and said masks may need to come back out if cases continue to rise. "People aren't testing as much now and our guard is down because it's summer," he said.
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"It's important that people who are vulnerable get their vaccines if they haven't already. We're not in complete and total darkness this time - the old vaccine will still work, but if it's found not to be giving the same coverage then it will need to be modified and given out again."
Latest Covid-19 cases in England and Wales Seven-day case rate per 100,000 people for the period ending August 5Scientists have already warned it was "reasonably certain" the UK is in another wave of the virus. Infectious disease specialist Paul Hunter told MailOnline that "it isn't now, then it probably very soon will be".
Dr Pankhania, an expert in disease control and public health, said it was crucial for people to keep on top of their vaccine, while only time would tell whether the most recent jab would help protect against Eris. He added: "The bottom line is this - as variants like this emerge we need to, constantly keep up to date with modifying the vaccines to mirror them.
"This will be a forever ongoing process." He added: "The most recent vaccine was to combat the Omicron variant which is no longer in circulation. People need to understand what's said one week may change the next - that is the nature of biology."
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