周一，世卫组织官员表示，在英国发现的新冠病*新变种的传染性更强，但所引起的病情症状并无加重，相关研究仍在进行中。世卫组织首席科学家苏米娅·斯瓦米纳坦表示，新冠病*变异速度比流感病*慢得多。即使目前已出现许多变异，没有一种对治疗药物或正在研发的疫苗产生重大影响。
TheWorldHealthOrganizationcautionedagainstmajoralarmoveranew,highlyinfectiousvariantofthecoronavirusthathasemergedinBritain,sayingthiswasanormalpartofapandemic’sevolution.WHOofficialsevenputapositivelightonthediscoveryofthenewstrainsthatpromptedaslewofalarmedcountriestoimposetravelrestrictionsonBritainandSouthAfrica,sayingnewtoolstotracktheviruswereworking.“Wehavetofindabalance.It’sveryimportanttohavetransparency,it’sveryimportanttotellthepublicthewayitis,butit’salsoimportanttogetacrossthatthisisanormalpartofvirusevolution,”WHOemergencieschiefMikeRyantoldanonlinebriefing.“Beingabletotrackavirusthisclosely,thiscarefully,thisscientificallyinrealtimeisarealpositivedevelopmentforglobalpublichealth,andthecountriesdoingthistypeofsurveillanceshouldbe