A new variant of coronavirus discovered in the United Kingdom is now making its rounds in the USA, variant B.1.1.7 being most recently identified in New York in a man who has no recent travel history.
The variant is said to be more transmissible than COVID-19 – although so far it is not thought to be more virulent or more resistant to vaccines and treatment. That being said, a new study suggests who may be most at risk of contracting B.1.1.7: those under the age of 20.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and others and has not yet been evaluated by colleagues, found that those under the age of 20 are more likely to account for a higher percentage of cases B.1.1. 7 – or what is identified in the study as “Variation of concern” or VOC.
The available data indicate “a change in age composition of reported cases, with a higher share of children under 20 among reported VOCs than non-VOC cases”, according to the study.
However, the researchers said it was too early to determine “the mechanism behind this change”, noting that it could have been influenced in part by widespread variations coinciding with a time when the blockade was in place, but schools were open”.
“Further research is underway into the specific nature of any changes in how the virus affects this age group,” a press release said in a statement.
Unlike COVID-19, B.1.1.7 may be more likely to infect children, the study suggests, reflecting concerns expressed by Professor Neil Ferguson, a scientist at Imperial College London and author of the study, in December.
At the time, Ferguson warned that early analysis “suggests he has a greater tendency to infect children.”
“If true, then this could explain a significant proportion, perhaps even most, of the observed increase in transmission,” he added, according to the BBC.
The Imperial College London study also estimated that the reproduction number (R0) of the new variant is between 1.4 and 1.8.
“These analyzes, which have informed the British government’s planning in recent weeks, show that the new variant of concern, B.1.1.7, has a substantially higher transmissibility than previous SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the UK,” he said. Ferguson in a statement. “This will make control more difficult and will further accentuate the urgency of launching vaccination as soon as possible.”
“All viruses evolve and very rarely a virus will change in a way that requires us to re-evaluate public health policy,” added Dr. Erik Volz, a scientist at Imperial College London and one of the study’s authors. a declaration. “We find overwhelming evidence of a change in the transmissibility of variant B.1.1.7 that should be taken into account when planning our COVID-19 response in the new year.”
Kayla Rivas of Fox News contributed to the report.