[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Hong Bo-young] It has been discovered that domestic (Korean) blood treatment for the novel coronavirus infection (Covid-19) has a neutralising effect on the mutant strain of the coronavirus.

Health authorities recently sought the consent of 4205 recovered Covid-19 blood plasma donors for investigation of their plasma to analyse the duration of neutralising antibodies against mutant strains. The results have now been published.

Health authorities analysed the neutralising efficacy against a total of nine mutant strains that are most prevalent in Korea.

Among the nine mutant strains are the major British and South African variants. Since the Brazilian mutant strain is currently under investigation, analysis will be carried out later.

The UK mutant strain was found to be 50% more harmful than the existing Covid-19, while the South African mutant strain is known to lower vaccine efficacy to 40-50%.

It was confirmed that neutralising antibodies were found in all genotypes, protecting against the mutant strain. However, since this is confirmation at a cellular level, the actual efficacy of its treatment would need to be reviewed based on the results of pharmaceutical companies' clinical trials, and will be made available in the medical field according to approval for use for treatment purposes by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Currently, 41 blood treatments from donated plasma have been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for treatment purposes, aside from ongoing clinical trials. This was made possible through the plasma donations of 4205 donors out of a total 6645 registrations. The overwhelming majority of these donors are Shincheonji Church congregants.

According to Shincheonji Daegu Church, Shincheonji Daegu Church has carried out their blood plasma donation three times, with an additional 100 plus congregants donating individually. A total of 3741 Shincheonji Church members successfully donated their blood plasma.