Covid: New BA.2.86 variant found in Scotland
- Published
The winter vaccination programme for those who are eligible begins on 4 September
Scotland has detected its first case of a new Covid variant that is being closely monitored by the World Health Organization.
The BA.2.86 variant is not yet considered a variant of concern but it has a high number of mutations.
Genomic sequencing detected the variant from a PCR sample collected on 16 August.
The BA.2.86 strain has already been found in several countries including Canada, Israel and the US.
Testing for the virus has been scaled back across the globe and scientists say they do not have clear information about how rapidly it is spreading.
The new variant was also found in wastewater testing in another NHS Health Board area.
Public Health Scotland (PHS), the NHS body responsible for monitoring and managing the coronavirus, says the accuracy of wastewater testing is variable and results should be treated with caution.
The number of Covid cases in Scotland has been increasing since the beginning of July. PHS reported 1,342 cases in the week ending 27 August but this is likely to be a significant underestimate because there is so little testing in the wider community.
The winter vaccination programme starts in Scotland on 4 September but in response to the new cases PHS and Scottish government are now working to bring winter vaccinations forward for those at the highest risk of becoming seriously ill from flu and Covid-19.
This includes care home residents, those aged over 75 and those with weakened immune systems who were initially set to receive their vaccinations from mid-October.
No evidence of danger
Chief medical officer Sir Gregor Smith said: "Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and the NHS from both Covid-19 and flu viruses, and I encourage everyone to help us maintain the high uptake rates we have seen over the past three years by coming forward for vaccination when they are called.
"Work is ongoing to understand the new Covid-19 variant BA.2.86 more fully. However, as a precautionary measure, vaccination of people at highest risk such as care home residents and people aged 75 and over is being brought forward."
Dr Sarah Pitt, a virologist at the University of Brighton, told BBC Radio Scotland the fact there are a lot of differences in the new variant was not necessarily a cause for alarm.
"What you have is the virus changes quite a lot as it goes along. Some of those changes are not good for the virus. A lot of them are just neutral, they are just a bit different from the others but it doesn't make any difference," she told the Lunchtime Live programme.
"I don't expect it to be any more dangerous than any other versions of Covid, except remembering that it is quite a nasty disease in some people.
"But I don't think any of the variants we have seen across the whole of the last two or three years have been overall different, it's just individuals experience Covid differently and there's a whole range of things you could have. But there's nothing new about the symptoms for this one as far as I know."