Scientist: Azerbaijan facing risk of new mutation

"Like elsewhere in the world, Azerbaijan is currently inoculating its population to struggle the coronavirus pandemic. The purchase of several vaccines is one of the successful strategies in the fight against the virus. However, the growing number of infections makes it necessary to speed the vaccination process. In that case, a new threat may arise," Nuran Abdullayev, Chairman of German-Azerbaijani Radiological and Neuroradiological Society, doctor of medical sciences at the University of Cologne Clinic, told Report.

According to him, the danger is that the new viral mutation, produced by the mutation mechanism "Immunescape," may be resistant to the vaccine:

"In other words, vaccines may not affect the virus. If the number of infections increases sharply in parallel with vaccination, it is a possibility. Therefore, awareness campaigns should continue upward as part of measures to speed the pace of vaccination. We should take some measures if there is a lack of confidence in people to be vaccinated against the virus due to incorrect mechanisms. People need to be made aware that vaccines can be more effective in preventing the spread of the virus and reducing deaths. Vaccination and following the golden rules against the virus are among the essential steps to struggle the virus. Therefore, the population must be more active in these processes to speed up the return to normal life."

Abdullayev said that the availability of vaccines should not cause comfort in people and does not mean non-compliance with the applied quarantine rules:

"Everyone should follow the rules, wear medical masks, respect social distance, and avoid crowded places, both indoors and outdoors since non-compliance with the rules and the consequent increase in the number of infections on par with vaccination can lead to new mutations in the virus. It is true not only in Azerbaijan but all over the world. I want to emphasize that what is even more dangerous is that the current vaccines against these new mutations may be ineffective or less effective. Therefore, relevant government agencies and the public should know that the pace of vaccination should be accelerated."