The highly contagious variant first identified in the UK is likely responsible for 30% of Covid-19 infections in the United States, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House Chief Medical Advisor, Friday.
The variant, dubbed B.1.1.7, has been reported in at least 94 countries and discovered in 50 US jurisdictions, Fauci said during a White House newsletter on the pandemic, adding that the number is likely to increase.
The UK first identified the B.1.1.7 strain last fall, which appears to spread more easily and more quickly than other variants. It has since spread around the world, including the US, Fauci said. As of Thursday, US researchers have identified 5,567 cases through genetic sequencing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. US health officials say the variant could become the dominant strain in the US by the end of this month or early April.
New variants are of particular concern to public health officials as they may become more resistant to antibody and vaccine treatments. Top health officials, including Fauci, have urged Americans to get vaccinated as soon as possible, saying the virus cannot mutate if it cannot infect and replicate hosts.
Public health officials and Americans can counteract the variant by doing two things, Fauci said. “ Get as many people as possible vaccinated with a vaccine that we know works against this variant as quickly and as soon as possible, and finally implement the public health measures we talked about all the time … avoiding gatherings, especially indoors. “
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that the variant is associated with a 64% higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than previous strains. Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Bristol analyzed data from more than 100,000 patients in the UK between October 1 and January 28.
“We are in a position right now where we have a plateau of about 53,000 cases per day,” Fauci said. “ The concern is that across the country there are a number of states, cities and regions that are withdrawing from some of the mitigation methods we’ve talked about: the withdrawal of mask mandates, the withdrawal to essentially non-public health measures being executed. “
Fauci’s comments on B.1.1.7 come a day after he discussed masks at a hearing with Republican Senator Rand Paul.
Paul claimed that people do not need to wear masks after being vaccinated because there is “almost 0% chance” that they will get Covid-19. “Isn’t it just theater?” asked the Kentucky junior senator, an ophthalmologist, during a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
In response, Fauci said the emergence of new, highly contagious variants poses a threat to people who have antibodies. “For the record, may I say masks are not theater,” Fauci said. I disagree with you at all. ‘