The coronavirus variant first discovered in the UK may account for up to 30% of new COVID infections across the United States, NIAID Director Anthony Fauci said during a White House briefing on virus Friday.
Why it’s important: The variant, called B.1.1.7, has been detected throughout the United States and studies have suggested that it appears to spread more easily than the original strain of the virus.
Context: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned in January that variant B.1.1.7 could become the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S. this month.
- The news comes after several states across the country have relaxed or lifted coronavirus restrictions.
What it says: “This variant, as you know, is increasingly dominant in our own country,” Fauci said. “Right now we are in a position where we have about 53,000 cases a day.”
- “The concern is that across the country there are several states, cities and regions that are reversing some of the mitigation methods we’ve been talking about: the withdrawal of mask mandates, the withdrawal of essentially non-public health measures are being implemented “, added.
- Fauci said the best way to counter the variant is to vaccinate as many people as soon as possible while maintaining public health measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
The big picture: Currently, several European countries manage an increase in cases as a result of variants.
- This week Italy entered another closure that is expected to last at least until the Easter weekend.
- On Friday, regions of France, including Paris, came under blockade for an entire month.
- German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned on Friday that COVID-19 cases are rising at an “exponential rate” in the country and there may not be enough doses of vaccine available to prevent a third wave.
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said last week that he believes the U.S. could face another increase in variant B.1.1.7.