A New Variant Appears in France

The Jerusalem Post is reporting that the spike protein of the variant known as B.1.640 has some unprecedented mutations. It seems that the Covid-19 virus is not bothered by borders.

The Post is reporting that France's Le Telegramme is reporting that the variant, known either as B.1.X or B.1.640, was first reported after it infected 24 people at a French school in the Brittany region last month.

According to published reports, when the variant was discovered in France, the school at which the outbreak occurred was forced to close half of its classes.

Israel's, Bar-Ilan University Prof. Cyrille Cohen, who is originally from France and regularly interviews and consults with French health officials, explained that the B.1.640 variant has some unprecedented mutations. One in particular has drawn attention: the spike protein, which is what allows the virus to cling to the human cell and start the infection process, has some deletions. The question is whether this will make the virus more or less infectious.

The Variant is believed to have originated in Africa. Cohen says, “This variant exemplifies that if you leave some of the world’s population without access to vaccines, then the virus will continue to multiply and it will lead to more variants.”