Line Vold: We can’t say that the South African variant causes a more serious disease course

The National Institute of Public Health’s (FHI) department director Line Vold believes that at present, it cannot be said that the South African virus variant causes a more serious disease than other corona variants.

“We know somewhat more about the British variant characteristics than about the South African and the Brazilian. 

“We currently have no evidence to say that the South African causes more serious illness, but the question has been raised whether the effect of the vaccines may be somewhat worse for the South African variant,” Line Vold told TV 2.

After outbreaks of both the South African and the British corona variant have been detected in Bergen, City Council chief Roger Valhammer (AP) told TV 2 that it might be likely that people will get a little sicker from the South African virus.

Professor of medical biology Ørjan Olsvik at the University of Tromsø points out that there is no scientific documentation on whether the mutation makes people sicker.

“It is also the case that it is not unnatural for people to become more ill in South Africa than in Norway because people’s general condition is generally worse. Therefore, it is not directly comparable,” Olsvik said.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]