A new coronavirus variant discovered in the UK is now making its rounds in the US, with the B.1.1.7 variant last identified in New York in a man who has no recent travel history.
The variant is said to be more transmissible than COVID-19, although as of now it is not thought to be more virulent or resistant to vaccines and treatment. That said, a new study suggests who is most at risk of getting B.1.1.7: those under age 20.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and others and has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that people under 20 are more likely to make up a higher percentage of B.1.1.7 cases – or whatever. is identified in the study as the “Variant of Concern” or VOC.
Available data indicate “a shift in the age composition of the reported cases, with a higher proportion among the 20-year-olds among the reported VOC than non-VOC cases,” the study said.
However, the researchers said it is too early to determine the ‘mechanism behind this change’, noting that it could have been partially influenced by ‘the spread of the variants coincided with a period when lockdown was in effect but schools open goods ‘.
“Further research is underway into the specific nature of any changes in how the virus affects this age group,” said a press release explaining the findings.
Unlike COVID-19, the B.1.1.7 is more likely to infect children, the study, which reflects the concerns raised by Professor Neil Ferguson, a scientist at Imperial College London and study author, suggests in December.
At the time, Ferguson warned that early analysis “indicates a greater propensity to infect children.”
“If true, this could explain a significant portion, perhaps even the majority, of the observed increase in broadcast,” he added, per BBC.
The Imperial College London study also estimated the reproduction number (R0) of the new variant to be between 1.4 and 1.8.
These analyzes, which have informed the UK government’s schedule in recent weeks, show that the new worrying variant, B.1.1.7, has significantly higher transmissibility than previous SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the UK , ”Ferguson said in a statement. “This makes control more difficult and emphasizes the urgency to roll out vaccination as soon as possible.”
“All viruses evolve, and very rarely will a virus change in such a way that we need to re-evaluate public health policy,” added Dr. Erik Volz, a scientist at Imperial College London and one of the authors of the study, said in a statement. “We find overwhelming evidence of a change in the portability of the B.1.1.7 variant that should be taken into account when planning our COVID-19 response in the new year.”
Fox News’ Kayla Rivas contributed to this report.