A new variant of the coronavirus has caused concern in the United States because it is very contagious and is spreading rapidly. To avoid it, you will need to double the pandemic precautions that have kept you safe until now.
The variant known as B.1.1.7., Which was first identified in Britain, does not appear to cause more serious diseases, but it does seem to stick to our cells more efficiently and has the potential to infect about 50 percent more people . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that this variant could become the dominant source of infection in the United States in March.
Here is an example of what some of the leading experts on viruses and infectious diseases have to say about how to prevent it.
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The same things that protected you from the original strain should help protect you from the variant, although you may need to be more rigorous. Use a two or three layer mask. Do not spend time indoors with people outside your home. Avoid crowds and keep your distance. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face. “I think there is no room for error or neglect to follow precautions, whereas before, we might have been able to slip up,” he said. Linsey Marr, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the world’s leading aerosol scientists
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The right, well-fitted cloth mask does a good job of filtering out viral particles of the size most likely to cause infection, Dr. Marr’s lab found in a recent test of 11 mask materials. The best mask has three layers – two layers of fabric with an interleaved filter. If you don’t want to buy a new mask, a simple solution is to use an additional mask when you are closer to strangers.
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Getting the vaccine is the best way to reduce your risk. But until then, look at your activities and try to reduce the time and number of exposures to other people. For example, if you now go to the store two or three times a week, reduce it to once. If you have spent 30 to 45 minutes there, reduce the time to 15 or 20 minutes. Try delivery or collection on the sidewalk, if that is an option for you.