Recently, the French government decided to suspend all air links with Brazil. The P1 variant - known as the "Brazilian variant" is still very much in the minority in France but is of concern to the scientific community. This variant would be more contagious, more virulent and possibly more resistant to vaccines.
Usually we often hear about the English and South African variants. On the other hand, the question of the Brazilian variant has been very present for a few days. This is a source of concern so much so that the French government has suspended air links with Brazil on April 13, 2021, for one week. However, France Inter explained the next day that the links with Guyana (neighboring Brazil) were maintained. This Brazilian variant bearing the name of P1 emerged in December 2020 in the region of Manaus, in the Amazon. And yet, it took until January 2021 for it to be really identified as a variant in Japan, in travelers who stayed in northern Brazil.
Today, this variant is scary for several reasons. It would be more contagious, more virulent than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and affects younger populations. Nevertheless, the most important concern with this variant is none other than its potential resistance to vaccines.
As France 24 explains, leads to more serious cases. In Brazil, the death toll jumped 353% between January and March 2021 among the 30-39 age group. Thus, the variant also affects a younger population. In addition, the Fiocruz Institute (Brazil) discovered 92 other mutations of the coronavirus circulating in the country. However, you should know that these same mutations occur when the transmission rate is high. For the moment, the vaccines attack the P1 variant. On the other hand, resistant mutations could appear and this might already be the case. Indeed, the vaccines work very well on the English variant but concerning the South African and Brazilian variants, it becomes a question of a loss of protection . Scientists conjure up the term “immune escape” to qualify this phenomenon.
The situation seems completely out of control in Brazil with approximately 3,000 deaths per day . In France, should we be worried about the Brazilian variant? For the moment, the variants are not becoming dominant, and the Brazilian variant comes at the back of the pack. However, it is a question of not exposing oneself to too pronounced a diffusion. Closure of air links with Brazil, quarantine and testing on arrival are adequate measures. However, regarding quarantines, no checks are carried out because everything is based on declarations on honor, which is harmful according to many health professionals.
