Evidence now that the UK Covid variant is not only more contagious, but it's more deadly.

[NH Ethylene]

This variant appears to be driving the new US surge and has affected a younger population.

It was clear early on that it was more virulent. This article (published a couple of weeks ago) looks at results of a recent study that indicate it's also more deadly.

"There is an increase in deaths from 2.5 to 4.1 per 1,000 detected cases in the same group."



https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210322/B117-SARS-CoV-2-variant-significantly-more-dangerous.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0srgZgG36H80deoBj_vhQKDz951D1kHfJAhqOMmYnl_mMRitxeOSVJngk

So a new surge that affects younger people and kids, just as all the schools are reopening. I wonder how complacent people will be if their kids start dying.

[liberal N proud]

1. Do the vaccines protect against it

[JohnSJ]

2. If this is the B.1.1.7 variant that originated in the UK, yes the moderna and pfizer/biontec vaccine

are effective. If it is the B.1.351 variant that originated in South Africa, it is not as effective

[Buckeye_Democrat]

3. Yes, it's more deadly too.

Detroit MI is getting hit hard by it, with many young people filling their ICU's and the ventilators at their hospitals already at full capacity.

Michigan's health department placed much of the blame on youth sports.

Young people are driving the latest Covid-19 surge, especially in Michigan
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/young-people-are-driving-latest-covid-19-surge-especially-michigan-n1263199
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In an interview last week with NBC News, Michigan public health expert Marianne Udow-Phillips said the surge in new Covid-19 cases “is directly related to the return of youth sports.”

“It’s not happening on the field,” said Udow-Phillips, who heads the Center for Health Research Transformation at the University of Michigan. “It’s happening in transit and afterward, when people are getting together and eating and not wearing masks. It’s happening at parties and where people are socializing.”
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[crimycarny]

4. My college age daughter getting it Monday

Thankfully! She has asthma so I’ve been worried.

[FBaggins]

5. And yet the numbers in the UK have declined substantially

Down 95% from their peak in January.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

6. Yes, and they went into "lockdown" too.

Measures that many people in this country, mostly Republicans, keep opposing.

[NH Ethylene]

7. They say they are reaching herd immunity!

Since 3/4 of their population either have had it or been immunized.

We'll see if that's true though. I don't know if they are factoring in reinfections.