Covid 19 has been surging across the globe. Even as countries begin vaccine distribution, case numbers still rise. Amongst concerns regarding the virus, there is unease about the new strains of Covid surfacing around the world. The United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil are among current hotspots. New strains of Covid 19 have arisen periodically over the last year, but the most recent pose a superior threat because of the troubling mutations they have developed.
In September, 2020, The United Kingdom discovered a new strain of Covid. By December, this strain had become the most common across the world; it accounts for about 60% of cases worldwide, says John Hopkins Medicine. This new strain is extremely transmissible. Although the severity appears to be similar to prior strains of the virus, this one could be up to 70% more infectious, BBC News stated. The rate at which this new strain is spreading has caused enough concern to spark border closures across Europe. Recently, doctors in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Wales have stated that their health system is failing due to the more contagious strain of Covid. So far, it appears that the United Kingdom has been hit hardest by this more transmissible form of the virus, and the rest of Europe has taken extensive precautions.
In South Africa, there has also been serious concern regarding a new mutation in the virus, which appeared within their borders. Although this strain does not appear to be more transmissible, many are worried that the vaccine will not work against it. So far, it appears that this strain does not render the vaccine completely useless, but it does weaken its effectiveness said CNBC. This makes the hold-up on vaccine distribution all the more problematic. Recently, Brazil has also identified a new strain. Although there is not much known about this new strain, it does not appear to be immune to the vaccine. The main concern surrounding this strain is that it will also have a higher spread rate. Out of an abundance of caution, both the United States and United Kingdom have banned travel to and from South America.
As of right now, the most prevalent strain in the US is the one that originated in the UK. “New CDC modeling shows the new strain could cause more than half of new infections in this country by March, even as the U.S. races to deploy vaccines,” WebMD says. If the US can accelerate the vaccine distribution process, the projections for what the next spike in the virus decreases substantially WebMD also states. Even with the vaccine on the way, Covid 19 still poses a great threat to the world. Everyone must do whatever they can to protect themselves and those around them.