It seemed like we were mostly hearing good news about COVID in 2021, with the introduction of two effective vaccines and the trajectory of new cases down for the first time in months. But new variants of the virus have emerged and the optimistic tone of doctors and public health officials soon began to shift. These new strains from the UK, South Africa and Brazil have raised serious concerns, with experts initially unsure how transmissible they were, how lethal they were and how they would respond to the newly created coronavirus vaccines and existing treatments. Unfortunately, new research has only confirmed that these problems are justified: A study by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) found that one COVID strain can be up to 70 percent more lethal than previous variants of the coronavirus. Read on to find out which variant could lead to more pandemic deaths and for more news on the virus, see why dr. Fauci says these are the COVID symptoms that do not go away.
A new study has just confirmed that the COVID strain that originated in the UK, called B.1.1.7, can be much more lethal to those infected with it, The Washington Post reports. According to NERVTAG researchers, this variant is 30 to 70 percent more lethal than previous virus strains. The authors of the study concluded that there is significant evidence that B.1.1.7 is “associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and death compared to infection” of other strains of the coronavirus. And for more concerns about the coronavirus, read how the UK’s top scientist has a cold COVID warning for Americans.
While it has recently been confirmed that the British variant is more deadly – a terrible prime minister Boris Johnson was shared a month ago – experts have long suspected that the British tribe is also more contagious than others. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimate that the variant is 43 to 82 percent more transmissible than previous variants.
A January 15 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the tension is spreading so fast that it is expected to become the dominant variant in the US in March. And for more information from the leading U.S. health agency, note that the CDC must stop immediately if you apply these masks.
The CDC reported three new variants in the US, with B.1.1.7 being the most common. As of February 14, the variant has already resulted in 1,173 COVID cases in 40 states across the country. The only states that have not reported cases of the British variant are Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia. According to the CDC, Florida has the most cases of the British tribe with 379. And for more up-to-date COVID news sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up for our daily newsletter.
If you are concerned that you have been exposed to COVID as a result of the UK variant, you should pay extra attention to your symptoms. A January study by the UK Government’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) analyzed 6,000 COVID patients and found that the 3,500 patients who tested positive for B.1.1.7 were more likely to experience four specific symptoms in comparison with those infected by other variants: cough, fatigue, muscle aches and sore throat. And for more COVID red flags to note, know that if you are over 65, you may be missing this COVID symptom, study says.