Health Matters by Dr Tim Allison: Coronavirus variant shows how vital it is to follow the rules
We are all likely to think about what the rest of the year will have in store for us.
Some things are certain, others uncertain.
Some things are largely outside our power to influence others are more dependent on our actions.
We know that the weather will change, warmer days will return, and each day will be longer than the last.
With Covid restrictions things are less certain.
We do not know when we will be more back to normal, when all children will be back at school, when all businesses will be open, or when we will be able to meet up with family and friends, go to church, watch live football, or go on holiday.
There is, though, a lot that we can predict about the Covid virus itself.
We know how viruses behave and how they spread.
As with all new viruses it has taken time to discover the details of Covid and there is more to find out, but the Covid virus shares core features with similar viruses.
One of these is that it mutates or changes.
These changes affect the ease with which a virus spreads and the effects it has on the person it infects.
We have for many years dealt with regular mutations in the influenza or ‘flu virus and the ‘flu vaccine changes every year to deal with the most recent mutations.
So, it is no surprise that the Covid virus has mutated and that variant strains have emerged.
One variant that most likely appeared from England has become particularly common in the Highlands.
It spreads more easily than the previous strain and its presence re-emphasises the importance of keeping up measures to control spread.
Vaccine delivery is progressing well across the area and as the weeks go by more people at a younger age will become eligible.
The vaccines that are given provide excellent protection against both the original strain of Covid and the new variant.
Other variants may arise from elsewhere in the world or at points in the future where the vaccines are somewhat less effective.
But just like for ‘flu, the vaccine can be modified too, to make it most effective against new strains.
Staying with the subject of influenza, there has been relatively little ‘flu this year.
The high uptake of ‘flu vaccine and the precautions taken against Covid have no doubt played a significant part in the reduction in ‘flu.
The ‘flu season comes every year and does seem almost inevitable, but the low level of ‘flu this year shows that our actions can make a difference.
In the same way our actions relating to Covid can make a big difference.
No disease has ever been tackled by vaccination alone.
While we wait for our first vaccination, wait for the second dose or after both doses it is still vitally important to stick to the guidelines to help stop spread. This is especially true as we tackle a variant which spreads more easily.
The more we stick to the guidelines the more certain we can be about what happens over the rest of the year.
• Dr Tim Allison is director of public health and policy at NHS Highland.
