{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/0185cea5-9e3b-4b82-a887-26f91f92765f/109abae5-694d-4074-b328-c6beafbcec88?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Coronapod: everything we know about the new COVID variant","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/61b9f3b71a8cbe675f3cedcb/61b9f4097701000015817cb4.png?height=200","description":"<p>In a quickly developing story a new variant, first detected in Botswana, is triggering rapid action among researchers. The variant - currently named B.1.1.529 has more than 30 changes to the spike protein - and the concern is that these mutations may result in increased transmissibility, severity of disease or even antibody evasion.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of&nbsp;<em>Coronapod</em>, we discuss what we know so far, how scientists are searching for answers and what this could mean for the pandemic.</p><p><br></p><p><em>News:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03552-w\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Heavily mutated coronavirus variant puts scientists on alert</em></a></p>","author_name":"Springer Nature Limited"}