WEBVTT FILE
X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:0,LOCAL:00:00:00.000

1
00:00:00.660 --> 00:00:03.600
- A new coronavirus variant
detected in Southern Africa

2
00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:05.880
is alarming
global health officials.

3
00:00:05.880 --> 00:00:07.460
The variant contains
an unusually

4
00:00:07.460 --> 00:00:09.200
high number of mutations,

5
00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:11.450
which officials fear could lead
to an increased antibody

6
00:00:11.450 --> 00:00:14.660
resistance and transmissibility,
potentially impacting

7
00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:17.590
the effectiveness
of existing vaccines.

8
00:00:17.590 --> 00:00:20.580
Scientists have pointed to
quick action and collaboration

9
00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:23.040
as key to understanding
the new strain.

10
00:00:23.040 --> 00:00:26.320
- What we have done
is to act very quick,

11
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.140
and that's gonna become evidence

12
00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:33.730
as a truly collaborative network
of scientists in South Africa,

13
00:00:33.730 --> 00:00:36.260
together with the government,
to try to identify

14
00:00:36.260 --> 00:00:39.930
that as the cases
just start to increase,

15
00:00:39.930 --> 00:00:43.010
to really know
what really we are facing.

16
00:00:43.010 --> 00:00:45.460
So the main message to take

17
00:00:45.460 --> 00:00:48.980
is that you have to know
the enemy in order to fight.

18
00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:50.180
- News of the variant
has triggered

19
00:00:50.180 --> 00:00:52.040
travel restrictions
across Europe,

20
00:00:52.040 --> 00:00:54.000
with major airlines stating
that they are closely

21
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.450
monitoring the quickly
changing situation.

22
00:00:56.450 --> 00:00:58.510
Cases of the new variant
have also been found

23
00:00:58.510 --> 00:01:01.090
in Botswana, Belgium,
and Hong Kong.

24
00:01:01.090 --> 00:01:03.360
On the financial front,
news of the strain,

25
00:01:03.360 --> 00:01:05.880
along with continued
pandemic uncertainty,

26
00:01:05.880 --> 00:01:09.220
has roiled global markets,
causing them to dive.

27
00:01:09.220 --> 00:01:11.930
Scientists have stressed
that more study is needed

28
00:01:11.930 --> 00:01:14.820
to fully understand
the risks of this new strain.

29
00:01:14.820 --> 00:01:18.010
- It will take a few weeks
for us to understand

30
00:01:18.010 --> 00:01:21.020
what impact this variant has.

31
00:01:21.020 --> 00:01:23.070
Researchers are working
to understand

32
00:01:23.070 --> 00:01:26.570
more about the mutations
and what they potentially mean

33
00:01:26.570 --> 00:01:31.090
for how transmissible
or virulent this variant is

34
00:01:31.090 --> 00:01:34.030
and how they may impact
our diagnostics,

35
00:01:34.030 --> 00:01:36.700
therapeutics,
and vaccines.