White House coronavirus
The Task Force warned of the possibility of a more transmissible Covid-19 variant that evolved in the USA.
The new strain, in addition to the variant found in the UK, is already spreading in communities and may be 50 percent more transmissible, according to a report obtained by the American media that the working group issued to the states on January 3.
The working group said the recent increase in cases was almost double the rate observed in the spring and summer seasons, according to Xinhua news agency.
“This acceleration suggests that there may be a ‘US variant’ that has evolved here, in addition to the British variant that is already spreading in our communities and may be 50% more transmissible,” the report said, calling for an aggressive mitigation. a much more aggressive virus.
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“Without the uniform implementation of effective face masking (two or three layers and well-matched) and strict social distancing, epidemics could worsen rapidly as these variants spread and become prevalent,” she added.
Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, told CNBC News on Friday that the new strain found by the Task Force appears to be behaving like the one circulating in the UK.
The latest development came as the country identified a total of 52 British cases coronavirus variant, according to data updated Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Twenty-six cases were reported in California, 22 in Florida, two in Colorado and one each in Georgia and New York.
The variant first identified in the UK seems to be spreading easier and faster than other variants.
Currently, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness or an increased risk of death, according to the CDC.
As the country struggles to accelerate Covid-19 launch of vaccines, the Task Force report said vaccines must now be “put in their arms”.
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“Do not delay the rapid immunization of those over 65 and vulnerable to severe disease; recommend the creation of high-yield vaccination sites with the help of EMT staff to monitor potential anaphylaxis and make full use of nursing students.
“No vaccine should be in the freezers, but should be put in the arms now; active and aggressive immunization in the face of this increase would save lives,” the report added.
The United States, currently the most affected country in the world, has so far recorded 21,857,293 coronavirus cases and 368,736 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.