WITH concern now rising over the spread in Britain of the South Africa variant of the Covid virus, the question of how long we are going to be battling the pandemic has again been brought into focus.
Since its emergence, the virus has developed more than 4,000 different versions of its spike protein (which is used to break into host cells), and it is expected – if not guaranteed – that many more ‘new variants’ will arise yet.
Rather dispiritingly, it is quite likely that more mutations, ones which are more medically significant, will occur as more people receive the vaccine, as reported here.
Will the Government continue indefinitely to find these developments further ‘justification’ for extended national lockdowns, or strict ‘tier’ restrictions?
Or must it come to recognise that whilst some protective steps need taking, including more effective early treatment, the country has to learn to live with Covid … and just get on with it?
Feel free to discuss this, or anything else on your mind.
