The new California COVID-19 strain is now an official “variant of concern,” the CDC said.

A new study from the University of California, San Francisco proves that California’s more infectious COVID-19 virus strain is now the predominant variant in the state, blocking protective antibodies used in vaccines and treatments. It has been.

In response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled the California strain as a “variant of concern” and has joined the designation shared by the first identified strains in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.

Within the last six months, its epidemic has exploded. By the end of January, when the study was completed, 50 variants of the genome sequenced from infected individuals tested at UCSF hospitals and clinics, Alameda County community sites, Santa Clara County collective facilities, communities, and emergency care sites Represents% or more.

With the reproductive rate doubling more than once a month, its prevalence can now be higher.

According to Dr. Charles Chiu, a senior researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, the vaccine is likely to remain effective against this variant. His lab is working with the state public health service to look for cases of new variants.

However, the behavior is worrisome. Scientists have found that neutralizing antibody activity against California variants is reduced by a factor of two. South African variants that have been proven to evade vaccines cause a one-sixth reduction. Antibody levels are markers of protection.

The spread of this more contagious pathogen, coupled with its ability to reduce immune defense, means that it must be monitored, Chiu said.

“I don’t think it will lead to a breakthrough in vaccines that don’t work,” he said. “But this study gives us the first idea of ​​the infectivity and potential resistance of mutants to neutralizing antibodies that have not been studied so far. This is what we need. This is important information. “

This finding stems from the ongoing decline in hospitalization and death from coronavirus in California. This is a warning from experts to control the virus as it evolves, reflecting ongoing health habits, from masking at a distance to vaccination.

Studies have shown that the so-called California variant is about 20% more infectious than the original virus.

In previous studies, a variant called B.1.427 / B.1.429 was associated with an increased risk of severe illness and death, long stays in the intensive care unit, and the need for mechanical ventilation.

The variant has been reported in other states, according to outbreak.info, a website that tracks epidemiological data around the world, but most cases occur in California, Nevada, and Arizona.

There are also concerns about the results of research in the new laboratory. Antibodies in the blood of 7 of 8 patients treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma were reduced by a factor of 6.7.

“That is, there may be an element called” antibody escape. ” Previous infections do not always protect against reinfection, “Chiu said.

The implications of the findings on how well vaccines and treatments protect real people from mutants are unknown.

Antibody levels are only part of the immune response. According to scientists, the vaccine also induces T cells.

The vaccine induces very high levels of antibodies, which can reduce its effectiveness slightly. Immunity is turned on or off, not binary. Instead, it’s on the spectrum.

However, new discoveries raise concerns about the potentially high risk of reinfection among vaccinated people. The risk of reinfection is likely to be highest for people who produce low levels of antibodies after vaccination.

According to Science, a decrease in antibodies can also have more subtle effects, such as a slightly faster decrease in immunity.

Like all viruses, the COVID-19 pathogen causes small changes in the genome during replication. Understanding this evolution, especially which mutations can alter its behavior, is essential for estimating the threat of new strains.

The genetic makeup of the virus, which is stored in single-strand RNA, determines whether the virus can suddenly become resistant to the drug, or whether the vaccine is protective or wasteful.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recently stopped shipping Eli Lilly and Company drugs to California, Nevada, and Arizona. This is because it may be less effective against this strain.

Authorities said Eli Lilly’s alternative COVID-19 therapy, a combination of gamlanivimab and another drug, etesebimab, could still be ordered. Early results show that drug combinations can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. Another antibody treatment given by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals was also unaffected by HHS effects.