What you need to know about the easier-to-spread COVID-19 variant now in Michigan

DETROIT – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported Michigan’s first case of the UK coronavirus variant, which is more easily disseminated.

The variant is known as B.1.1.7. and was identified in a woman from County Washtenaw who recently traveled to the United Kingdom. That’s where the variant came from. She may have acquired it there, but the general picture is that the variant has already been identified in several people in the United States and it is reasonable to bet that it is circulating here.

READ: First case of COVID variant detected in Michigan: What to know

Variant B.1.1.7 of the virus that causes COVID-19 quickly became dominant in the United Kingdom. That’s because it seems to be at least 50% more transmissible. This means that, as it spreads here in the U.S., it will produce more infections. The reason for its easier spread is that several of the mutations in the variant allow the spike protein, which the virus uses to bind to human cells, to bind more firmly. This makes you a more effective attacker.

You must understand that the variants are made up of several individual mutations. A change in just one of the 30,000 individual pieces of RNA, or genetic code. A particular mutation in B.1.1.7. variant – known as N501Y has already been found in other variants worldwide and appears to be the main driver of the increase in transmissibility.

Although B.1.1.7. variant spreads more easily. There is no indication that it is inherently more dangerous. The danger comes from the fact that, as it spreads, it can cause an outbreak of infections. Which will lead to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths.

Epidemiologists at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have already estimated that it may become the dominant strain in the United States in March. But they hope that ongoing vaccination efforts can outweigh their growth. There is no evidence that B.1.1.7. variant would be resistant to vaccine protection.

No one should be overly concerned with this variant. The value of knowing that there are more contagious variants out there just highlights the importance of not slowing down basic precautions.

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