New Coronavirus Variant

It's been a few weeks now since news broke that a more transmissible strain of the coronavirus has been circling around the United Kingdom.

Its been a few wee news broke that a more transmissible strain of the coronaviru around the unitied kingdom.

The strain is thought to be up to seventy percent more transmissible than the original strain and has thrust the united kingdom into a lockdown.

Kimt news 3's george mallet has been talking to dr. brian mcdonough about the new strain and joins us with the doctor's concerns.

Corona and katie?

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Mistake about it?

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Doctor is concerned.

That said, it is no surprise that the coronavirus has mutated?

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"* that' viruses do.

Most mutations are useless?

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"* but every awhile a mutation will improve a virus's ability to infect people.

And that's what appears to have happened here.

And lockdown in england didn't prevent the virus from getting here.

The mutant strain of the coronavirus has made it to the united states.

Even as the first pfizer and moderna vaccines were being administered, the first confirmed case of a new coronavirus variant turned up in colorado.

Clinician and cbs radio medical contributor dr. brian mcdonough is troubled by the fact that it is decidedly unclear how that first patient contracted the virus.

The person had not traveled to europe hadn't been at any greater risk.

The truth of the matter is you're at risk just by breathing if you're not wearing a mask and social distancing.

You can come into ho had traveled and as a result you can be exposed to the virus.

With at least two effective coronavirus vaccines now being administered?

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Despite the fact that this new variant spreads far more easily than its predecessor?

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" is sounding an optimistic theme.

Is this form of the virus, because it is spread easily, is it going to be more deadly?

The answer is we have no reason to expect that.

In fact we have no reason to expect it is any worse than what we have already experienced, which frankly is bad enough.

But also, if you have immunity, that immunity will work against this.

The vaccine will work against this, because it's the same virus corona the mutant variant is likely to be present in much of the united states now.

Although the variant has so far been detected in a very small fraction of infections, it shows signs of spreading and may become significantly more common in coming weeks.

That?

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"* accordin infectious disease experts with the centers for disease control and prevention.

The cases of this mutant variant have been mostly isolated.

There has been one case in new york, one in florida, one in georgia and two in colorado.

The wildcard, though, is california.

In san diego county, a robust surveillance operation has found 32 cases of the new strain.