Given the "plunge" in stocks (Nasdaq is down less than 1%) and headlines blaring of COVID "mutations", @KizzyPhd decided to 'clarify' some science before all hell breaks loose (which judging by the London exodus, it already did) for no good reason. She begins...

@KizzyPhD offers some context:

You are going to read and hear about a million and one variant viruses, because viruses mutate by nature. It's scary, I know. But, a couple of amino acids is not the same a whole whole new virus strain in the way that we've been taught to think about flu. 

What is happening, often times, is selective pressure. As the virus transmits it learns how to be better at transmitting. This is why you hear "circulating faster than last variant"... 

But, don't get in a panic over it. There will take a large amount of genetic diversity to completely make the current vaccines useless... And, here is why: 

Unlike monoclonal antibody therapies, vaccines (especially those using the whole spike protein) make polyclonal antibody responses. This means that the antibodies your vaccinated body will make will be able to bind the coronavirus spike in multiple places... not just one. 

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"Every expert is saying it's too early to draw such an inference," the professor added.

"I would want to have very clear evidence rather than 'we think it's more transmissible' so we can see if it is or not," Heneghan continued.

"It has massive implications, it's causing fear and panic, but we should not be in this situation when the Government is putting out data that is unquantifiable," the professor further urged.

"They are fitting the data to the evidence. They see cases rising and they are looking for evidence to explain it," Heneghan declared.

The 'mutant strain' has been circulating since September, according to the government, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson using it to justify literally cancelling Christmas.