The information in this slide deck was presented at the Covid Crisis in India - Information & Appeal on Sunday 23rd May 2021. If you find the information in this slide deck useful, please donate to https://justgiving.com/fundraising/covidcrisisinindia

1. COVID-19 variants,
vaccines and tests
Varsha Khodiyar, PhD

2. Research into SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 is ongoing

3. What is
SARS-CoV-2?
What is COVID-19?
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4. The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes the disease COVID-19
Image source: USA National Science Foundation Interactive model explores how different interventions affect COVID-19 spread

5. Possible outcomes from being infected with the
SARS-CoV-2 virus
No COVID-19 symptoms
Can transmit virus to
others
COVID-19 symptoms, patient
is unwell at home
Can transmit virus to others
Patient has severe COVID-19
and needs hospitalization
Can transmit virus to others

6. COVID-19 symptoms
Sources: NHS ; World Health Organization Images from Queensland Government website
More common Less common

7. Carriers can transmit the virus,
even if they have not developed
the disease

8. What do we know
about the SARS-CoV-2
strains?
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9. Changes to DNA or RNA can alter protein sequence
Image from: USA National Library of Medicine What kinds of genetic variations are possible? MedLinePlus article

10. Most changes will make the protein worse at doing its
job...
...but by chance
some changes
may make the
protein better at
doing its job
Image from: USA National Library of Medicine What kinds of genetic variations are possible? MedLinePlus article

11. Changes result in new variants,which may change the
behaviour of the virus and become new strains
Source: The Conversation What’s the difference between mutations, variants and strains? A guide to COVID terminology

12. Variants currently
under observation in
the UK
Public Health England: SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England Technical briefing 22nd May 2021
Variants of concern or under investigation: data up to 19 May 2021
VOC = Variant of concern
(potential new strain)
VUI = Variant under
investigation

13. The B1617.2 variant appears to be easier to catch (more
transmissible)
Source: COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium Mutation Explorer

14. What we know
The bad news
Variants of concern seem to be
more transmissible (easier to catch)
Sources: USA Centers for Disease Control (CDC) About Variants of the Virus that Causes COVID-19
BBC News What are the India, Brazil, South Africa and UK variants?
The good news
The variants do not seem to cause
more severe disease
Masks & social distancing work
against these new variants
Existing vaccines seem to be as
effective against the variants
identified to date

15. SARS-CoV-2 will mutate
every time it replicates
We can reduce the chance for
new strains to evolve by
reducing the opportunities for
the virus to reproduce

16. Existing control measures
continue to work against all
the variants identified to date

17. How do the
coronavirus
vaccines work?
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18. How an RNAvaccine works
Source: BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-54880084

19. How an RNAvaccine works
Source: BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-54880084

20. How an RNAvaccine works
Source: BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-54880084

21. Source: British Society for Immunology https://www.immunology.org/news/whats-in-vaccine

22. Coronavirus vaccines currently approved in the UK
Sources: Wellcome What different types of Covid-19 vaccine are there?
UK National Health Service (NHS) Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Viral vector vaccine: Oxford-AstraZeneca
RNA vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna
Use the cell’s own protein making machinery to
make the virus protein
The viral protein triggers an immune response
The vaccines can be modified to recognise new
strains as needed in the future

23. Should I be concerned about vaccine side effects?
Source: UK National Health Service (NHS) Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine

24. 0.001% Over 40 (1 in 100,000)
0.002% Under 40 (1 in 50,000)
Risk of blood clot from AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine
Source: Public Health England Guidance COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting Updated 21 May 2021

25. 10X higher
Risk of blood clots for COVID-19 patients
Source: Covid-19: Risk of cerebral blood clots from disease is 10 times that from vaccination, study finds, BMJ 2021;373:n1005

26. ● Vaccines train our immune system to
recognize the virus
● Serious side effects from the vaccines
are very rare
● Risk of blood clots 10X higher from
disease compared to the vaccine

27. How do the
coronavirus tests
work?
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28. Swab tests check if you HAVE the disease
Lateral Flow Test (LFT)
Self-test at home
30 minutes for result
Available to everyone
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test
Laboratory based test
24-48 hours for result
Available to those with COVID-19
symptoms

29. Swab placement

30. Lateral Flow Test
In the UK all secondary school
students twice a week.
Everyone else, when you feel it’s
necessary.
If LFT gives a positive result, get a
PCR test.
Isolate until you have a negative
PCR result.
For more information: UK National Health Service (NHS) Testing for coronavirus (COVID-19)

31. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test
(sometimes called RT-PCR test)
In the UK register online for a
PCR test, if:
-You have any COVID-19
symptoms
- You have had a positive LFT
result
Isolate until you have had a PCR
test negative result
For more information: UK National Health Service (NHS) Testing for coronavirus (COVID-19)

32. Antibody test to check if your immune system can
recognize COVID-19
For more information: UK National Health Service (NHS) Antibody testing to check if you've had coronavirus (COVID-19)
Antibody test only available in the
UK if you:
- work in primary care, social care
or education
- are taking part in research
An antibody test does not tell you:
- if you're immune to COVID-19
- if you can or cannot spread the
virus to other people

33. Swab tests tell us if we have the virus
○ LFT is less accurate,quick result
○ PCR is very accurate,slower result

34. Finding out more
Image source:
https://mrbarlow.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/take-breaks-to-learn-more/
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35. COVID-19 is likely to become endemic
Source: Nature News feature The coronavirus is here to stay — here’s what that means February 2021

36. Be aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect
People with little knowledge tend to overestimate their abilities, precisely because
they ignore how much knowledge is necessary to master them.
Image source: Consuut What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect?
Before taking
someone’s advice,
check their authority
on the subject

37. Debunking coronavirus myths -www.covidfaq.co

38. If you found this talk
useful,please donate
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39. @varsha_khodiyar
Varsha Khodiyar
The information in this slide deck was presented at
the Covid Crisis in India -Information & Appeal
Sunday 23rd May 2021
Slide deck created by
Varsha Khodiyar,PhD
Slide deck licensed as CC-BY
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/