A new study published by a team of British scientists suggests that a variant of the coronavirus recently discovered in England is 56 per cent more contagious than the original strain.
The study, published by the Center for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, noted that while the data suggest the new variant is more contagious, there are no results to show that it is more deadly, The New The York Times reported.
Researchers warned that stricter action should be taken due to the new variant, however, including the shutdown of universities and schools. They also advocated more widespread vaccines.
“It may be necessary to greatly accelerate the launch of vaccines,” they said, according to the Times.
Alessandro Vespignani, director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, did not participate in the study, but agreed with the findings.
“While we rejoice in the vaccine,” he told the newspaper, “here is the possibility of a change in epidemiological context that will make our next few months much more complex and more dangerous to navigate.”
“Evidence is accumulating that the variant is more transmissible, and this implies that it will likely require an even greater effort to continue spreading under control,” he added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced earlier this week that the new strain could already be present in the United States. He also stated that he is working to determine how quickly the virus is transmitted.