SPRINGFIELD, Missouri (KY3) – A resident of Greene County tested positive for a COVID-19 variant.
The resident tested positive for UK variant B.1.1.7 in a sample from early March, according to an announcement on Friday from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.
Variant B.1.1.7 is classified as a concern variant by the CDC. It is up to 50% more transmissible and there is also evidence of a more serious illness based on hospitalizations and cases
Local health leaders say they knew this would happen. Dr. Robin Trotman of CoxHealth said that the more people get COVID-19, the more viruses are likely to mutate and become stronger.
“We really have to pay attention to what is going on around the world because we are not special here in the United States and we are naive to think that somehow we have safeguards in place,” said Trotman.
The Springfield-Greene County Department of Health reported that the person who tested positive for a variant originating in the United Kingdom had not traveled. Trotman believes that that person was probably exposed to someone who traveled through a chain of other people.
“Really, people should think about the variants, because just a small change in their ability to bind to our receptors can make a smaller dose of the virus make you sicker,” he said.
This variant is considered worrying simply because doctors are not sure whether it is resistant to different immunities or treatments. However, Kendra Findley, Administrator of Community Health and Epidemiology at the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said the top three vaccines will still work against him.
“They are all good for B.1.17,” she said.
Findley and Trotman said the variant is potentially more contagious.
“This is really more worrying when we talk about leaving the restrictions and getting together more, which is what we are all desperate to do now,” said Findley.
“If we don’t want these more variant variants to become dominant, we shouldn’t give the virus ways to reproduce,” said Trotman.
The person’s sample was selected at random and tested by the Center for Disease Control as part of its genomic surveillance program.
“With 100% certainty, there are more of these variants in our area because we are sampling a small fraction of the viruses and, therefore, it would be naive to think that this is an isolated case,” said Trotman.
Findley, of the department of health, said that the experts plan to increase the tests to find out how many cases of variants can be in the region of Greene County. The results are expected to come out in the next few weeks or months.
A COVID-19 variant has one or more mutations that differentiate it from other circulating variants. Multiple variants have been documented in the United States.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before we found the variant in our community,” said acting health director Katie Towns in a press release. “We are going to be vigilant and closely monitor the indicators we are using to monitor the situation today, including case counts and hospitalizations. The disease will spread as we move towards removing occupational limitations and now that we have evidence that this variant is in our community, it becomes more important than ever that people get vaccinated as soon as possible and protect themselves against gravity of the disease associated with the variant. “
The only other variant B.1.1.7 in Missouri was reported in February and identified by a resident of Marion County.
SGCHD offers the following recommendations to combat the spread of COVID-19 variants:
-Wearing a mask
– Watching your distance
-Washing the hands
-Get vaccinated
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