An extremely contagious coronavirus variant first detected in the UK is now spreading rapidly in the US. The variant, B.1.1.7, has so far been detected in at least 34 states and is expected to continue circulating.
A new pre-print study estimates that cases of the variant double every nine days in the US, with an increased transmission rate of up to 45%. “Our study shows that the US is on a similar trajectory as in other countries where B.1.1.7 has quickly become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant, requiring immediate and decisive action,” the researchers wrote.
In a January report, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that by March, B.1.1.7 could become the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. In another report issued by the British Government’s Scientific Advisory Group, it was found that a ‘realistic possibility’ exists that a B.1.1.7 infection ‘is associated with an increased risk of death’ compared to other virus strains.
The findings are “worrying”, said Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in a January 35 statement. maintenance on Today. ‘The data has not been released officially, but if I look at the preliminary data analyzed by British scientists, I’m pretty sure there’s some increase in the severity of the real infection, which we really need to keep look. ”
Here’s what experts so far know about the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant, and what you can do to protect yourself.
What is B.1.1.7 and where does it come from?
Coronavirus variants, such as B.1.1.7, began to emerge after the original, dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 began to change. It is important to remember this everyone viruses mutate. They are not always worrying, but others are worth watching as they begin to spread rapidly.
“When SARS-CoV-2 repeats, mistakes are made – not infrequently,” said Stanley H. Weiss, MD, professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and the Dept. biostatistics and epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health, Prevention.com said earlier. ‘Most of these are flawed, do not reproduce very well, do not persist and do not matter. Sometimes the wrong set of combinations and mutations can occur. ”
B.1.1.7 is notable for the number of mutations – six key mutations, to be exact – including some that directly involve the peak protein, which is of ‘great interest’, says Dr. Weiss, because it is the piece of coronavirus that clings to human cells.
The CDC reports that B.1.1.7 is estimated to have originated in the UK in September 2020 and that it is accompanied by ‘more efficient and faster transmission’. It has now been detected in several countries, including the US and Canada.
How many states confirmed B.1.1.7 infections?
The B.1.1.7 variant was first identified in the US in December. A Colorado man in his twenties without reporting on travel history tested positive and recovered in isolation.
Since then, at the time of publication, according to CDC data, nearly 1,000 B.1.1.7 infections have been identified in 34 states. Especially in Florida and California, the number of B.1.1.7 cases is significantly higher. The number is expected to increase nationwide in the coming months.
Does the B.1.1.7 variant cause different COVID-19 symptoms?
There are many scientists who do not know about this variant, but ‘symptoms do not appear to be different at this stage’, says Prathit Kulkarni, MD, associate professor of infectious diseases medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
As a result, there is ‘no way’ to know if your symptoms are due to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 or B.1.1.7, says Thomas Russo, MD, Professor and Head of Infectious Diseases at the University of Buffalo in New York. “Only tests can determine if you have this variant,” he says.
This means that you should still pay attention to the most common signs of COVID-19: fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea .
Is B.1.1.7 really that much more contagious?
According to the data we have so far, yes. In fact, one preprint study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimates that the B.1.1.7 variant is 56% more contagious than the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. Another study, by researchers at Imperial College London, found that B.1.1.7’s viral reproduction – the average number of people to whom an infected person transmits the virus – was 1.45. The number before the appearance of the variant was 0.92.
B.1.1.7 was first detected in the UK in September, but according to the BBC, the variant was a quarter of cases in London by November. By the week of December 9, it was responsible for 60% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in London. “There is emerging data to suggest that the new variant is about 50 to 60% more contagious than the previously most widespread strain,” says Dr. Kulkarni.
There is also data to suggest that B.1.1.7 is more likely to infect children, scientists from the UK’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group have told reporters. “We have not determined any causality about it, but we can see it in the data,” Neil Ferguson, a professor and epidemiologist at Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London, told Reuters. We will need to gather more data to see how it performs going forward. ”
Are the available COVID-19 vaccines applicable to B.1.1.7?
Currently, the manufacturers of the US-authorized COVID-19 vaccines – Moderna and Pfizer – have stated that their vaccines are up to 95% effective against B.1.1.7. Novavax, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials in the US, announced at the end of January that the vaccine is almost 86% effective against B.1.1.7.
What should you do to protect yourself from B.1.1.7?
In addition to B.1.1.7, other highly contagious variants – including those originating from Brazil and South Africa – have been detected in the USA. This should not make you panicky, but it should serve as a reminder that now is not the time to stop taking the “next common sense precautions”, says Infectious Diseases Expert Amesh A. Adalja, Managing Director, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Safety.
“The core recommendations for public health also remain the same,” says Dr. Kulkarni. Continue to avoid large gatherings, take social distances from outside your household, wash your hands regularly, and wear a face mask that fits snugly over your nose and mouth.
For extra protection, especially in high-risk settings, such as in a crowded bus or in a queue at a busy grocery store, experts (including Dr. Fauci) say you can choose to double a mask (a surgical or KN95 mask wears with a cloth mask on top), as long as it does not restrict breathing) or wears a face shield over your face mask.
Dr. Russo emphasizes that we are likely to have additional COVID-19 variations in the future and that we will need to adjust our response accordingly – so if you have the chance to get the vaccine, it’s crucial that you do so to protect yourself. and those around you.
This article is accurate from press time. As the COVID-19 pandemic develops rapidly and the scientific community’s understanding of the new coronavirus develops, some information may have changed since it was last updated. As we strive to keep all our stories up to date, please visit the online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and yours local department of public health to stay up to date with the latest news. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice.
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