The overall decline in the number of coronavirus numbers in the U.S. in January has brought relief to some health officials. But new data now show that there may be a new development on the horizon that could put the pandemic back in a very precarious area. This is because, according to a new study, the highly contagious British COVID strain is spreading across the US at an alarming rate and could drastically change conditions within the next month. Read on to see why experts are so concerned about the development, and for more information on when some officials think we can be somewhat normal again, check out dr. Fauci just said we would never be able to do that again.
The first case of the British COVID variant – officially known as B.1.1.7 – was only reported in the USA in mid-December. But research released in a pre-issue on February 7 and not yet peer-reviewed found that the highly contagious strain doubles every 10 days, confirming fears that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) originally presented. can become the most common form of the virus within a few weeks.
“Nothing in this article is surprising, but people should see it,” Kristian Andersena co-author of the study and a virologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, tells The New York Times. “We should probably prepare for the fact that it’s the dominant generation in most places in the United States in March.”
Experts explain that a mutation officially known as N501Y made the strain of the UK so transmissible, which changed the outer shape of the virus and could infect healthy cells more easily. “It makes it look like even more sticky velcro,” Michael Worobey, PhD, a viral evolution researcher at the University of Arizona told CNN.
Now experts warn that the heavy surges seen in other countries such as Portugal, Ireland and Jordan were probably caused by the variant, and that it could probably cause similar conditions on the outside. “Indeed, a very serious situation can arise within a few months or weeks,” Nicholas Davies, said an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who was not involved in the study The times. “These may be early signals that justify urgent investigation by public health authorities.” And for more information on what could potentially have a major impact on the fight against COVID, check out Dr. Fauci Just Said This One Thing Could Turn the Pandemic.
Some experts argue that the focus on vaccinating as many of the public as possible – especially those over the age of 65 who are at higher risk for severe COVID – has now gained new importance. One expert compares the current decline in cases like a false sense of security by being in the quiet “eye of the hurricane” just before worse conditions resume.
“I’ve been doing Zoom calls for the past two weeks on how we’re going to get it right,” Peter Hotez, MD, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN during an interview on Feb. 7. “The big wall is going to hit us again and that’s the new variant.”
“It could really be very distressing for our country as we enter spring,” Hotez warned CNN. “Now, we’re in a race. We’re in a race to see how fast we can vaccinate the American people.”
While a variant has already caused health officials in its current state, researchers in Britain have also found samples of B.1.1.7 with another mutation that could also make current vaccines less effective against it. And while experts question whether these mutations will become commonplace or not, some have pointed out that development proves that the new coronavirus is a formidable and unpredictable enemy that we can expect to keep guessing.
“We have to expect them to show up here,” Andersen said. The times of future threatening mutations. “Whatever was true elsewhere will also be true here, and we must deal with it.” And for more information on how the pandemic is affecting your place of residence, see This is how bad the COVID outbreak is in your state.