Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 2

LEARNING FROM COVID-19 majority of these mutations will likely not have any effect on the virus. But a mutation or set of mutations can occur and give a competitive advantage to the newly generated virus, perhaps resulting in enhanced transmission or immune evasion. These can result in the overtaking of currently circulating strains of the virus. We have seen this previously in the pandemic, most notably with D614G, which became the dominant strain in Europe and then moved into North America in early 2020. Now we’re watching three new variants of concern that have some concerning mutations and characteristics — B.1.1.7 (first identified in the UK), B.1.351 (first identified in South Africa), and P.1 (first identified in Brazil). All three emerged independently in different global regions and have some potential characteristics that could be a concern as we continue to battle the pandemic. B.1.1.7 has been shown to have enhanced transmissibility, which could impact public health recommendations for infection prevention and control measures. B.1.351 and P.1 share similar mutations that are in areas of the virus that are related to immune evasion. For B.1.351, this has resulted in further inquiry on whether the antibodies generated by currently licensed vaccines can still provide protection against infection from the virus. There have been some concerns in this regard, though data is continuing to be analyzed. Q What final thoughts or messages would you like to share with dentists? JK : My biggest thoughts right now are that we are likely going to see a continued need to change and adapt our overall behaviours and infection control measures based on new data, as it is gathered. This is particularly important when we consider the variants and our further understanding of how the vaccines work (i.e., protection from severe disease with or without effects on transmission). SARS-CoV-2 is moving widely through humans for the first time and we are seeing it change and adapt as it moves through our communities. Our greatest strength right now is to try to reduce transmission, because the virus can’t continue to change if it can’t create new copies of itself, which it can only do through infection. As a scientific community, we will continue to analyze the data and provide the most pertinent information as possible about how to protect Canadians. We are likely going to see a continued need to change and adapt our overall behaviours and infection control measures based on new data, as it is gathered. Q As a scientist, how do you feel about how information about COVID has been shared in general? JK : It can be difficult for the public to know where to get good, valid information. With social media, we’ve seen the rise of “armchair-ologists” from across nearly every field and that can be problematic. I get emails from relatives where they send me posts they’ve seen on social media and ask me about the validity of the claims. I help them sift through and identify misinformation—to separate myth from reality and what we've learned from the still unknown. I think that we’re getting better in this regard as a whole, but it has certainly taken the biomedical community time to combat misinformation with a united front. On the other side, the scientific community on Twitter has allowed me to collaborate with and meet colleagues. It’s been amazing and certainly something I have been very fortunate to participate in. We’re in a moment where there is an opportunity for researchers and scientists to figure out how we fit into the new media landscape so we can communicate and have a two-way conversation with public health officials and health care workers, while still demonstrating that our information is reliable and valid. Q Can you tell us about the new COVID variants we’ve been hearing about? JK : Although coronaviruses mutate at a slower rate than other similar viruses, such as influenza, they still accumulate mutations as transmission continues in communities. The vast I ssues and P eople 34 | 2021 | Issue 2