Lisa Gralinski, an epidemiologist at UNC-Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health, discusses the mutation of the coronavirus found in the U.K.
OF EDUCATORS ABOUT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CDC. AND, WHETHER SHE BELIEVES TEACHERS BELIEVE THEY ARE PLACED HIGH ENOUGH AT THIS POINT. >>> A COTTAGE DAY FOR ANYONE TRYING TO GET INTO HER OUT OF THE UK. A NEW STRAIN OF CORONAVIRUS KNOWN TO BE SPREADING, ADOPTED EUROPEAN NATIONS IN CANADA TO RESTRICT VISITORS. THE STRAIN APPEARS TO BE SPREADING 70% FASTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. DR. LEASE AGREEMENT BUDDY WITH THE GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH IS ONE OF OUR REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS. DR. MAC, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> WHAT MAKES THIS NEW STRAIN SO DIFFERENT AND IS THE REASON FOR CONCERN HERE? >> WE DO NOT KNOW IF THERE'S REASON TO BE CONCERNED. THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BE ON HIGH ALERT. THAT IS MY TAKE-HOME MESSAGE. THIS VERY PICKED UP IN ENGLAND -- AND IT'S BEEN PICKED UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE OUTSTANDING SEQUENCING THERE. IS NOT SURPRISING THEY WOULD PICK UP INFORMATION LIKE THIS. IT HAS SEVERAL MUTATIONS PARTICULARLY IN THE SPIKE PROTEIN. THIS BINDS TO THE RECEPTOR ON HUMAN CELLS. MUTATIONS IN SPIKE ARE CONCERNING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOGNIZES. THAT'S WHAT THE VACCINES ARE TRAINING OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A CONCERN FOR OF ASIAN AND VACCINES, WE DO NOT THINK SO. FOR OTHER THERAPIES IT COULD BE. >> SO VACCINES SEEM TO BE STILL ABLE TO COME BACK THE STRAIN OF THE VIRUS. IT COULD BE DIFFERENT FOR MEDICATION THAT CAN TREAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COVID. >> ABSOLUTELY. THE KEY MUTATION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS THE 501 SPIKE PROTEIN. IT IS IN THE RECEPTOR BINDING DOMAIN. HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT BEEN SHOWN TO CHANGE THE ANDROGENS SO MUCH THAT WE THINK VACCINES WOULD BE IMPACTED. WHEN PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED, THEY GENERATE LOTS OF ANTIBODIES THAT ARE RECOGNIZING THE SPIKE PROTEIN IN DIFFERENT REGIONS. THAT IS PART OF WHY VACCINATION OF THE WHOLE PROTEIN IS SO EFFECTIVE. THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES THAT REGENERON AND ELI LILLY MADE, THEY ARE JUST ONE ANY BODY YOU ARE GETTING LOTS AND LOTS OF COPIES OF. SOME OF THE MUTATIONS THAT ARE IN THE VARIANT THAT POPPED UP IN THE UK ARE HERE REGIONS WHERE WE KNOW THEY MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY BINDS. IT WOULD BE EASIER TO ESCAPE FROM THESE ANTIBODIES. >> WE NEED TO GET THE VACCINE OUT THERE QUICKLY. >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS. SWITCHING GEARS, WE WILL HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR TOMORROW. YOU THINK THE STATE SHOULD IMPLEMENT FURTHER RESTRICTIONS? >> I THINK YES, THAT IS DEFINITELY MY POINT OF VIEW COMING FROM CAUTIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH, VIROLOGIST, BACKGROUND. I AM IN A CENTRAL WORKER SO I WILL GO TO WORK EITHER WAY. I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO CAN BE SAFE WORKING FROM HOME. OUR JOBS ARE STABLE IN THIS SITUATION. I REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE EAGER FOR THIS. COMING UP ON THE HOLIDAYS, IT'S VERY TOUGH. IT'S THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF NORTH CAROLINIANS. THE ECONOMY ASPECT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. >> WE OFTEN COME TO FOR A REASON BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT EASY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND. THERE IS NOW A RESOURCE FOR ANYONE ONLINE QUICKLY TELL US ABOUT THE NEW COVID DASHBOARD YOUR COLLEAGUES LAUNCHED. >> THE KILLING SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH LAUNCHED A DASHBOARD WITH RESOURCES ABOUT COVID-19. THEY TALK ABOUT STUDIES HAPPENING IN THE STATE. THERE'S THE FAQ WITH DEFINITIONS AND A LOT OF BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19, THE STATE, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY GRAPHICS ABOUT SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN EACH COMMUNITY. YOU CAN BREAK IT DOWN BY COUNTY AND COMPARE YOUR COUNTY TO YOUR REGION AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE. IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO CHECK THAT OUT. >> UNC SCHOOL OF GLOBAL PUBLIC
