![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/covid-everything-we-know-about-new-pirola-strain-including-symptoms-to-look-out-for/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/0_New-covid-19-variant-causes-concern-London-United-Kingdom-01-Sep-2023.jpg&description=As a new strain of Covid-19, which has been labelled the most striking since Omicron, hits the UK, what exactly do we know about it? And what should we look out for? Questions are being raised about the newest variant of Covid-19 and whether it could evade our vaccines as it hits the UK. Dubbed Pirola, it's thought the variant is the reason for an increase in coronavirus cases across Europe, including a spike for Brits last week. As a result, the government has brought forward the autumn booster programme by a month and some experts are even calling or face masks to return in hospitals and GP surgeries in a bid to protect the most vulnerable. It's now been confirmed that in the UK there has been a few dozen cases in the last few days - but should people be concerned? The Pirola variant has been described as the "most striking strain of Covid-19 since Omicron" by some UK scientists. And others have questioned whether or not the latest variant will be able to evade the jabs we've previously had, MailOnline reports. This strain - which has the scientific named of BA.2.86 - is a descendant of Omicron but has 35 mutations as part of the virus which the vaccines are designed to target, known as the spike protein. There are also mutations that might help Pirola evade the natural protection we have from our immune system. It means people's immunity isn't as high as it should be and we could see another large wave of infections and increase in people becoming seriously ill. The University of Nottingham virologist Professor Jonathan Ball explained: "Pirola has made people sit up because of the unusually large number of mutations. Viruses naturally mutate to survive. But when there's 30 or more mutations, scientists need to ask what that means. Does it make vaccines less effective, could it transmit more easily than Omicron and does it cause more serious disease?" The Department of Health and Social Care has now moved the roll out of autumn boosters forward by a month in an at){kind=link}
As a new strain of Covid-19, which has been labelled the most striking since Omicron, hits the UK, what exactly do we know about it? And what should we look out for?
Questions are being raised about the newest variant of Covid-19 and whether it could evade our vaccines as it hits the UK.
Dubbed Pirola, it’s thought the variant is the reason for an increase in coronavirus cases across Europe, including a spike for Brits last week. As a result, the government has brought forward the autumn booster programme by a month and some experts are even calling or face masks to return in hospitals and GP surgeries in a bid to protect the most vulnerable.
It’s now been confirmed that in the UK there has been a few dozen cases in the last few days – but should people be concerned? The Pirola variant has been described as the “most striking strain of Covid-19 since Omicron” by some UK scientists. And others have questioned whether or not the latest variant will be able to evade the jabs we’ve previously had, MailOnline reports.
This strain – which has the scientific named of BA.2.86 – is a descendant of Omicron but has 35 mutations as part of the virus which the vaccines are designed to target, known as the spike protein. There are also mutations that might help Pirola evade the natural protection we have from our immune system. It means people’s immunity isn’t as high as it should be and we could see another large wave of infections and increase in people becoming seriously ill.