The University of Guadalajara detected 10 more cases of the E484K mutation in positive tests for COVID-19 carried out in the laboratories of the university.
Cases of the mutation detected in the Brazilian variant of the virus will be sent to the Institute for Diagnosis and Epidemiological Reference (InDRE) for confirmation. On February 15, they confirmed the first four samples sent by the University.
Alejandra Natali Vega Magaña, head of the Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Emerging and Reemerging Diseases of the University Center for Health Sciences (CUCS), explained that the variant may be more transmissible, in addition to its probable immune response to vaccination as well as serious clinical problems.
To detect mutations more quickly, UdeG, in conjunction with the GENES2LIFE laboratory, created the Molecular Epidemiological Surveillance System for COVID-19. With this, between January 11 and February 23 they already analyzed more than a thousand samples.
José Francisco Muñoz Valle, rector of the CUCS, added that the objective was to make a search method faster and at a low cost that allows knowing how wide-spread the variant is within the State.
In addition, Octavio García, director of GENES2LIFE, explained that the system will be public so that anyone can use it. In fact, it has already been sent to other states, and in San Luis Potosí they were able to detect cases with the same mutation.
“We will do the test on all positive samples. Although we will start with our own resources, we hope that the State and other private laboratories will join in to be able to do so in all the positive tests in Jalisco ”, added Muñoz Valle.
The rector general of the University, Ricardo Villanueva, recalled that one of the ways to combat the virus and its variants is to follow health protocols, but also to apply the vaccine. Given this and the misinformation that contributes to fewer people being vaccinated, he reported that the UdeG will start the campaign “Don’t think about it, get vaccinated”
“We have detected that there are many myths and misinformation, many older adults are not getting vaccinated. (With the campaign) we want to provide scientific information on the scope of vaccines and their characteristics,” he said.
He explained that there will be information brigades with volunteers who will accompany the Jalisco Health Secretariat (SSJ) house by house with information about the vaccines. There will also be a mass media communication campaign.
“The faster the vaccination process progresses, the more complications we are going to avoid,” he said.
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