National Reference Lab says mutated strains of Covid-19 present in Czech population as well

The Czech National Reference Laboratory says it detected mutated strains of the Covid-19 virus in Czech patients in early autumn.

According to the head of the laboratory, Helena Jiřincová, new variants of coronavirus appeared independently of each other in several places in the Czech Republic, especially in Prague and the Central Bohemian region.

Scientists say this may be the reason why some people contracted the virus a second time.

However virologist Pavel Plevka told Novinky.cz that the detected mutation means a small change in the spike protein and is unlikely to lower the effectiveness of the vaccine.