UGM Genetics Working Group Calls The Mu Variant Of SARS-CoV-2 No More Virulent Than Delta

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JAKARTA - The Genetic Working Group of the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) stated that the new SARS-CoV-2 variant named Mu or B1621 was not more virulent than the Delta variant.

The Head of the Genetics Working Group of FKKMK UGM, Dr. Gunadi, in a written statement in Yogyakarta, Wednesday, explained that the Mu variant by WHO is categorized in the variant of interest (VoI) or that needs attention, while the Delta variant is in the Variant of Concern (VoC) category or that needs to be watched out for.

"Because Delta in the VoC category, the level is certainly above Mu, which is in the VoI category," he said.

Although this new variant has not been detected in Indonesia, according to him, it needs to be anticipated because the Mu variant is known to cause a decrease in antibody levels either due to infection or vaccination.

"Preliminary research results show that the Mu variant causes a decrease in neutralizing antibody levels either due to natural infection or vaccination, similar to the Beta variant. However, further research is needed," he said.

He said that until now the Mu variant has not been detected in Indonesia, but there needs to be a tightening at the entrance so that it does not spread as widely as the Delta variant.

However, regarding the level of ferocity, Gunadi believes this variant is not as vicious as the Delta variant.

According to him, the corona virus continues to mutate by giving rise to new variants that have different levels of malignancy and severity when infected.

However, those who have been exposed to COVID-19 or who have received the vaccine already have natural immunity.

"Natural immunity caused by natural infection certainly exists, but how much it can protect against the risk of being infected with other variants requires further research," he said.

According to him, natural immunity that has been infected even though it has not been vaccinated, is the same as measuring the effectiveness of the vaccine against a variant by conducting research first. However, anticipation is still needed by implementing strict health protocols and accelerating the vaccination program.

However, for those who have been vaccinated, he said, they are able to minimize the severity if exposed to the COVID-19 virus even though they are infected with different variants. "Vaccines prevent severity," Gunadi said.