The recently identified B.1.1.7 COVID strain took under a month to shut down the U.K., leading New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to announce during a Jan. 7 press conference: “If the U.K. spread catches on in New York, hospitalization rate goes up, the hospital staff is sick, then we have a real problem and we’re at shutdown again.” As of Jan. 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that New York State has one confirmed case of the B.1.1.7 COVID variant, but the number could be higher seeing as the only way to identify the strain is through sequencing—and, according to the CDC, only a fraction of U.S. cases (about .3 percent) have been sequenced. In a Jan. 8 press conference, Cuomo reiterated just how quickly the new variant could spread, calling it the “Usain Bolt of infection rates.” He added, “The U.K. strain is here…and it’s spreading. This infection rate is frightening.” While New York is receiving 300,000 COVID vaccines a week, Cuomo explained that it would take 47 weeks to hit the 75 percent threshold for herd immunity in the state. “You know what that means? We lose the foot race. Hospitals are overwhelmed. We don’t win that race,” the governor added. Cuomo cautioned that, if the infection rates in New York continue to rise, it won’t be long before businesses are forced to close their doors. “If the hospital capacity continues to climb, we’re going to close regions,” Cuomo announced. “Hopefully 21 days of a closed economy will slow the spread somewhat… That is what we are looking at.” New York isn’t the only state where B.1.1.7 is spreading, however. Read on to discover where else the U.K. COVID strain has been identified—from least cases to most—according to the CDC, as of Jan. 8. And if you’re preparing to get vaccinated soon, know that Dr. Fauci Just Gave This Warning About COVID Vaccine Side Effects. Read the original article on Best Life. Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 1 Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 1ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 1 And for expert insight on what to expect next during the pandemic, The CDC Just Issued This Grim Warning About the COVID Surge. Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 2 Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 3 And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 22 Number of confirmed B.1.1.7 cases: 32 And for more insight into the virus’ spread, check out Dr. Fauci Just Said This State’s COVID Situation Is “Unimaginable.”
