Everything we know about the new Corona variant Pirola

Anyone who thought Corona was already history was wrong. There is currently a new mutation emerging: Pirola.

This is why Pirola is different from other Corona variants:

The BA.2.86 variant, as Pirola is scientifically called, is characterized by a high number of mutations. Because it contains more than 30 mutations in the spike protein, experts like British scientist Francois Balloux are talking about it as the “most striking Sars-CoV-2 strain the world has seen since the creation of Omicron.”

The more mutations a variant has, the easier it is to evade built-up immunity – whether through previous diseases or vaccinations.

The WHO said it is monitoring the virus variant.

So far, the striking virus mutation has been detected in South Africa, Israel, the US and England. In August, the first Pirola case was also registered here in Switzerland. When asked by Watson, the Federal Office for Public Health (BAG) said:

However, the values ​​are currently still too low to indicate a clear increase.

When monitoring the different variants in the wastewater, it turned out that the EG.5 variant, also called Eris, had the largest share at the end of August, at 30 to 50 percent.

With Pirola a slightly different picture emerges. The BAG says:

Pirola has not yet been detected in hospitalized or outpatients.

According to the BAG, it cannot be assumed that Pirola is accompanied by other symptoms or even leads to a more serious course of the disease. Initial experiences have shown that the updated vaccine in this case also protects against serious diseases and possible hospitalization. Yet: “This assessment may change as more scientific data becomes available.” The BAG follows all developments closely.

A booster vaccination is recommended for everyone over 65 years of age, pregnant women and people aged 16 years and over with previous illnesses. Because the risk of a serious course of the disease is greater here, it is recommended to undergo a one-off vaccination between October and December of this year. (anb)