US Health Authority: More Data Needed for UK COVID-19 Variant Warning

Washington (Reuters)-The United States is closely monitoring more infectious variants of COVID-19. Two US health officials warned that more data was needed after British officials warned that COVID-19 could also be more deadly.

Not yet identified between Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Anthony Fauci, president of Joe Biden’s highest COVID, but authorities are somewhat worried about another variant of South Africa. ing. 19 The medical adviser also said.

Collins said the UK data is preliminary and that people with UK variants, whether due to changes in the virus itself or other external factors such as pressure on the healthcare system, He said it was unclear why the risk of death was high.

“Let’s take this as a watchful eye,” he told MSNBC in an interview.

Fauci needs to confirm raw data from the UK with MSNBC before fully assessing mortality risk, and U.S. authorities are considering how the two new strains will affect vaccine efficacy. Individually said.

“These are serious situations that we are tracking very closely and we will adapt to them as needed,” said Forch, who said that vaccine additions will change as needed in the coming months. There is a possibility that

Their comments come from Democratic President Joe Biden taking control of the country’s COVID-19 response, revitalizing the fight against advanced infectious diseases and promoting a warlike stance. In a series of actions since taking office on Wednesday, Biden has announced a new US strategic plan to reduce outbreaks and has signed many executive orders, including increased vaccines and increased use of masks.

The United States is the country most hit by COVID-19, with 24.7 million cases and 413,775 deaths by midnight Friday. An average of 3,089 Americans have died from the disease in the past week, but 20 states in the United States have reported record deaths this month.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that British varieties were associated with higher levels of mortality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week warned that UK variants already in circulation in at least 10 US states could become major US variants by March. This variant, known as B.1.1.7, is believed to be twice as contagious as the one currently in circulation nationwide.

“At this point, I’m not worried about it,” Collins said, given that the vaccine still seemed to work against it. “We are a little more worried about South African variants.”

Fauci, a top U.S. infectious disease expert, reiterated concerns, calling the data on South African variants a bit more “sinister”, even though the current vaccine appears to protect against both variants. ..

Scientists on Wednesday said South African variants could reduce the effectiveness of current vaccines, which also increases the likelihood of reinfection.

The UK has banned travelers from several African countries and is considering further restrictions to prevent its growing tensions in the UK.

Details have not yet been announced, but Biden has moved to impose compulsory quarantine on air passengers arriving in the United States. He also requires passengers bound for the United States to have a negative COVID-19 test starting on Tuesday.

Higher infectious variants, even without a greater risk of death, pressure authorities to vaccinate residents-the campaigns said by many state and local authorities are slow and chaotic, 1 Biden of man promised to improve.

“The more cases, the more hospitalizations, and the more hospitalizations you get, the more deaths you will eventually get,” Forch told reporters at the White House Thursday. ..