A New, More Contagious COVID-19 Strain Has Been Reported in the U.K. Is It Headed for the U.S.?

A new strain of COVID-19 reported in the United Kingdom has been blamed for a sharp uptick of cases—prompting new lockdowns in London and more than 40 countries to ban cross-border travel from the U.K. Although scientists say there is no evidence that the new strain is more deadly, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it could be up to 70% more transmissible than others, while the health secretary said it was “getting out of control.” At least 40 countries including the entire European Union and Canada have temporarily banned incoming travel from the U.K. as of Monday. And the new strain has been detected in Denmark, Australia and Gibraltar, according to the British government; and in Italy and the Netherlands, according to media reports. But the U.S. has so far not stopped incoming travelers from the U.K. or Europe—sparking fears it may have already crossed the Atlantic Ocean. “Today that variant is getting on a plane and landing at JFK,” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Dec. 20, referring to New York’s busiest airport. “How many times in life do you have to make the same mistake before you learn?” Here’s what to know about the new strain of the virus. What do we know about the new strain of COVID-19? The strain was first detected by scientists in early December, according to the U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock. He first announced it on Dec. 14, saying that it was prominent in areas where the virus was spreading ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Londontime overnight Source Type: news