CDC warn this new UK strain one will predominate across the United States by March
Dr K K Aggarwal
President CMAAO, HCFI,
With input from Dr Monica Vasudev
16th January
CDC warn this new UK strain one will predominate across the United States by March. As of January 13, the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 76 cases across 10 US states, researchers report January 15 in an early release of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Their modeling predicts rapid growth of B.1.1.7 in early 2021. Increased transmissibility also means that higher-than-anticipated vaccination coverage must be attained to achieve the same level of disease control to protect the public compared with less-transmissible variants.
The CDC researchers reemphasize tactics to control the pandemic, particularly in light of the B.1.1.7 variant, including the well-known mask-wearing, distancing, hand hygiene, isolation, and quarantine measures. These public health strategies are essential to lessen the potential impact of B.1.1.7, "buying critical time to increase vaccination coverage.
The researchers estimated 1 million vaccine doses daily beginning January 1, 2021, and 95% effectiveness at 14 days after the second immunization.
They also assumed equal protection afforded by the vaccines for the existing virus and the new variant.
"With vaccination that protects against infection, the early epidemic trajectories do not change and B.1.1.7 spread still occurs. However, after B.1.1.7 becomes the dominant variant, its transmission [is] substantially reduced," the researchers note.
B.1.1.7 is not the only variant causing global concern. A variant detected in South Africa and another identified in Tokyo in four travelers from Brazil are likewise believed to feature enhanced transmissibility.
1318: The COVID-19 pandemic has been good for the blue light glasses industry: As people in lockdown spend more time staring at laptops and other digital screens, they’re ordering more blue light glasses, despite a lack of conclusive evidence the glasses actually reduce eyestrain or protect from the effects of blue light. The sales for the blue-light-blocking product Blokz have risen 60% annually for the last 2 years, with nearly 2 million pairs sold in 2020 alone.
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