The COVID-19 mutation discovered in the United Kingdom and said to be more contagious has now appeared in California, the state's governor said on Wednesday, a day after the first mutation in the US, in Colorado.
Speaking with Anthony Fauci in a Facebook Live chat, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said a case was identified Wednesday morning in the southern part of the state. While the new strain appears to be more easily transmitted from person to person, Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it does not appear to be resistant to vaccines that have been developed.
“It doesn’t appear to be avoiding the protection provided by the antibodies that are induced by the vaccines,” Fauci said. “Even though one part of the virus has changed, it’s very likely that the other components of the vaccine-induced response will protect you .”
However, Fauci said public health officials are closely monitoring the mutation, called B.1.1.7.
The new strain of COVID-19 was first detected in Britain in September and later prompted the country to implement a strict lockdown over the Christmas holiday, with several countries, including the US, imposing stronger entry requirements for travellers arriving from the UK. The variant has also appeared in other countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Spain and Japan.
There is no evidence that the variant is more deadly than known strains of COVID-19 or that it makes people sicker. However, a study released last week by a team of UK scientists estimated that it is 56% more contagious, The New York Times reported. The British government had previously said that the variant could be up to 70% more contagious.
Information source: cnet.com
