About the new coronavirus (variant) (January 2021)

Explanation of infection prevention for new coronavirus variants in this article

※This information is as of the end of January 2021.

"If you get infected with the variant, it might cause more severe symptoms than before."

"I don't want to get infected, but I don't know what to do."

In December 2020, the new coronavirus variant was confirmed in Japan. This article is written for those who are spending anxious days in fear of the unknown.

As of the end of January 2021, the preventive measures we can take against the new coronavirus variant remain the same as before.

However, without the correct knowledge, you might fall victim to scams or suspicious products that prey on your fear of the coronavirus.

By reading this article and learning the correct information, you can easily understand, even without any medical background:
・How to prevent infection from the new coronavirus variants
・What a variant is

This knowledge will help you make informed choices about new treatments and testing methods related to the coronavirus.

Same preventive measures as before, even for variants

The reason why the same preventive measures as before are effective is that the only confirmed change in the new coronavirus variants is an increase in transmissibility.

An increase in transmissibility means that it becomes easier for individuals to get infected and develop symptoms from the new coronavirus.

There has been no confirmation of an increase in fatality rate or severity of the disease. In other words, it is necessary to thoroughly adhere to the existing preventive measures even more than before.

The specific preventive measures against the new coronavirus variants include:

• Hand washing
• Gargling
• Wearing masks
• Alcohol disinfection
• Avoiding crowds

These are not new measures but the same preventive measures we have been practicing.

The rationale behind why the same preventive measures are effective against the variants will be explained in the following sections.

Even for variants, the new coronavirus is weak against alcohol and soap

Even if the new coronavirus mutates, alcohol and soap are effective for infection prevention because the virus has an envelope.

The reason is that alcohol and soap destroy the envelope.

The envelope is a lipid membrane that protects the virus. The new coronavirus will die if the envelope is destroyed.

For example, without an air tank and wetsuit, a person would die from respiratory distress and hypothermia underwater. Think of the air tank and wetsuit as the envelope for the new coronavirus.

This envelope is present in the new coronavirus variants that have been confirmed so far.

The new coronavirus mutates every 2 weeks

The mutations of the new coronavirus can be categorized into:

• Survival mutations
• Errors

These mutations are said to occur once every two weeks.

Survival mutations, also called escape mutations, allow the virus to change in a way that helps it evade detection by the human immune system.

For our bodies to defeat the virus, the immune system must detect and capture the virus.

Escape mutations are similar to mimicry, where insects change color to evade predators.

Error mutations occur due to copying mistakes.

The virus replicates itself and multiplies within the human body.

However, it can make mistakes during copying, and these erroneous copies continue to multiply.

For example, if we were to manually copy multiple documents, don't you think it would be rare to reproduce them without a single mistake?

The replication of the new coronavirus is not as precise as a machine, so it frequently makes errors similar to human errors.

Mutation is a change in the virus's genetic information

When mutations occur, the genetic information of the virus changes, which also changes the abilities of the virus.

The genetic information of the new coronavirus is composed of four types of substances:

• A (Adenine)
• U (Uracil)
• G (Guanine)
• C (Cytosine)

These substances are arranged randomly in large numbers.

The number of these random arrangements varies by virus type: the influenza virus has about 10,000, while the new coronavirus has about 30,000.

Suppose that among these 30,000 sequences, there is an arrangement like AAUUG, and AAUUG indicates "weak survival ability of the virus."

※Note: AAUUG does not actually indicate "weak survival ability of the virus." This is a hypothetical setting for easy explanation.

Now, if a mutation occurs, changing AAUUG to AAUGG (the fourth letter changes from U to G),

If AAUGG indicates "strong survival ability," the virus’s survival ability would be strengthened by the mutation.

In everyday language, a single letter change can completely alter the meaning of a word. For example:

• やかん (kettle) → みかん (mandarin orange)
• うさぎ (rabbit) → うなぎ (eel)
• さくら (cherry blossom) → まくら (pillow)

Similar changes happen in the virus's genetic information, and this is referred to as a mutation.

The identified mutations are changes in the spike protein [Severity under investigation]

Due to mutations, the genetic information of the spike protein in the new coronavirus has changed, making it easier for the virus to infect us than before. This is because the performance of the spike protein has improved.

Infection refers to the state where the virus settles in the human body, multiplies, and parasitizes. In other words, simply having the virus touch your body or enter through your mouth is not considered an infection. For the virus to settle and parasitize, it needs to enter our cells.

The spike protein is a part of the new coronavirus.

It's like a bridge between us and the new coronavirus. The new coronavirus uses the spike protein to enter our cells.

The currently confirmed mutations in the new coronavirus have improved the performance of the spike protein. While it has become easier for the virus to infect us, there has been no confirmation of worsening symptoms or an increase in fatality rates after infection, and this is still under investigation.

The differences in spike protein mutations between the UK, Brazil, and South African variants

Currently, the new coronavirus variants confirmed in Japan are:

• UK variant
• Brazil variant
• South Africa variant

These three types have been announced by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

What they have in common is mutations related to the spike protein.

The difference lies in where the mutations occur within the spike protein.

For example, let's think of the spike protein as curry.

In the UK, South Africa, and Brazil, there are curries that represent the characteristics of each country. While the spices used vary by country, they are all still curry.

Similarly, the spike protein is like the curries of different countries, with the components of the spike protein differing by country.

However, this does not mean there is a change in the role of the spike protein, so it does not necessarily lead to an increase in fatality rates or severity.

Proper knowledge and preparation to prevent the spread of infection

By knowing the correct information, you can reduce the risks of:

• You yourself getting infected with the new coronavirus
• You contributing to the spread of the infection

However, preventive measures are not perfect, so there is still a possibility of getting infected despite taking precautions. If you have a test kit on hand when you notice any changes in your health, it can greatly contribute to treatment and preventing the spread of infection.

This is because knowing that you are positive early allows for quicker initiation of treatment. Additionally, it can reduce the amount of time you suffer from the symptoms of the new coronavirus.

For example, Hiro Japan's real-time PCR test:

• Can detect the currently confirmed variants
• Has fewer false negatives compared to regular PCR tests
• Provides the genetic sequence of the virus, which can be used for more efficient treatment

We conduct PCR tests based on the guidelines of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

Hiro Japan COVID-19 PCR Test Kit

Why not equip yourself with the correct knowledge and a test kit to protect yourself and your loved ones?

References

• National Institute of Infectious Diseases - Pathogen Detection Manual
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare - Status of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Variants in Japan
• COVID-19 PCR Test Kit