It seemed that we were hearing good news about COVID in 2021, with the launch of two effective vaccines and the trajectory of new cases decreasing for the first time in months. But then, new variants of the virus emerged, and soon the optimistic tone of doctors and public health officials began to change. These new strains from the UK, South Africa and Brazil have raised serious concerns, with experts initially unsure of how they were transmissible, deadly and how they would react to newly created coronavirus vaccines and existing treatments. Unfortunately, new research has just confirmed that these concerns were justified: a study by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threat Advisory Group (NERVTAG) found that a COVID strain can be up to 70 percent more deadly than previous variants of the coronavirus . Read on to find out which variant could lead to more pandemic deaths and for more news about the virus, see why Dr. Fauci says these are the symptoms of COVID that do not go away.
A new study has just confirmed that the UK-originated COVID strain, called B.1.1.7, can be much more deadly to those infected with it, The Washington Post reports. According to the NERVTAG researchers, this variant is 30 to 70 percent more deadly than previous virus strains. The study authors 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 coronavirus concerns, read about how the UK’s Top Scientist has a scary COVID alert for Americans.
Although it has recently been confirmed that the UK variant is more deadly – a fear, Prime Minister Boris Johnson shared a month ago – experts have long suspected that the UK strain is also more contagious than others. Researchers at 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) said the strain is spreading so rapidly that it is projected to become the dominant strain in the United States in March. And for more information from the main health agency in the United States, be careful, because if you are layering these masks, the CDC says to stop immediately.
The CDC reported three new variants in the USA, with B.1.1.7 being the most prevalent. 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 UK 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 largest number of cases of the UK strain with 379. And for the most up-to-date COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
If you are concerned about getting COVID due to the UK variant, you should pay extra attention to your symptoms. A January study by the UK government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) looked at 6,000 COVID patients, finding that 3,500 patients who tested positive for B.1.1.7 were more likely to have four specific symptoms when compared to those infected by other variants: cough, fatigue, muscle pain and sore throat. And for more alerts about COVID, know that if you are over 65, you may be missing out on this symptom of COVID, says the study.