Experts warn of dangers as new contagious strains of COVID-19 arrive in South Florida

MIAMI – Almost a year after the coronavirus pandemic started and the virus is turning into several additional contagious strains.

A team of researchers is now focusing on these new variants to slow down the spread in South Florida.

There are 19 counties in Florida with positive cases of the UK’s most contagious strain of COVID-19, the highest concentration of which can be found in Miami-Dade and Broward.

Researchers are working to track the variants and find out more about whether the vaccine protects you from them or not.

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FIU infectious disease specialist Dr Aileen Marty said the UK’s most contagious strain is potentially more dangerous.

“Each variant has its peculiarities and problems,” said Dr. Marty. “Solid scientific data, as well as epidemiological data, suggesting that the UK variant is not only more contagious, but also perhaps more serious.”

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Researchers at the University of Miami are finding out which mutant versions of COVID-19 are in South Florida, watching the virus from patients at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

How well vaccines end up protecting against the UK strain and other mutations is also part of the research at UM.

Dr. Marty explained that the tests show that current vaccines work against the UK variant, but there is a new concern about other mutations already in the United States that could infect people who have had COVID-19 in the past.

“The South Africa variant and the Brazil variant already present real problems for people who already had Covid,” said Marty. “These people are not protected against the South African variant nine times out of ten.”

Experts recommend that everyone continue to take precautionary measures and be vaccinated when possible.