There's now a Texas variant of COVID-19. It's what scientists at Texas A&M are calling BV-1, because it started in the Brazos Valley.
Dr. Ben Neuman is the head of the Texas A&M Texarkana biology department and says it's a mutation of the B.1.1.7 variant which originated in the UK. That mutation is becoming dominant in the United States. "Which is by far the major thing in Texas right now, but it's got an extra mutation. And the mutation is at a spot where we have reason to believe it would block a lot of antibodies from binding" said Dr. Neuman.
It's a complex mutation. Dr. Neuman says scientists have worked out a star system. Each new variant gets a star for each change. The UK variant is a three star variant. "South Africa (B.1.351) is only a two star but it's doing it's best out there. This is a four star. We don't know if four star is worse than three star, but four star has more of these mutations that could give the virus a little leg up."
It was found in only one person, a Texas A&M student, and taken as part of the university's testing program. That person reported mild symptoms. It was taken via saliva sample on March 5. The student tested positive again on March 25. All their symptoms were gone by April 2.
The sample was taken as part of the university’s ongoing COVID-19 testing program. A second sample seems to indicate it may cause a longer lasting infection in younger people than is typical of COVID-19
Some people may be worried the covid vaccines fall short against the variants. Dr. Neuman urges everyone to get the shots. He says they offer neutralizing antibodies and several more layers of protection. "Those other layers are the things that are going to keep you from getting sick and going to the hospital and are going to hold the virus down a little bit. So people who are vaccinated but still a virus manages to get in, we know they make about four times less virus than people who are not vaccinated."