New COVID Threat - Virus Variant now infecting children

Less than 20% of Americans are fully vaccinated and some parts of the U.S. are seeing a concerning increase of COVID-19 cases.

Experts are raising the alarm about a virus variant that appears to be infecting school-age children and younger adults.

Mary Moloney has a closer look in today's health minute.

PERCENT OF AMERICANS AREFULLY VACCINATED AND SOME PARTSOF THE U-S ARE SEEING ACONCERNING INCREASE OF COVID-19CASES.AND NOW-- EXPERTS ARE RAISINGTHE ALARM ABOUT AVIRUS VARIANT THAT APPEARS TO BEINFECTING SCHOOL-AGECHILDREN AND YOUNGER ADULTS.MARY MOLONEY HAS A CLOSER LOOKIN TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE.THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS B-1- 1-7VARIANT... FUELING AN ALARMINGRISE IN COVID-19 CASES ANDHOSPITALIZATIONS IN EUROPE.AND EXPERTS FEAR THE U-S COULDBE NEXT IF WE DON'T DOUBLE DOWNON SAFETY MEASURES."WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE PAST YEAROF THE PANDEMIC IS THAT WE TENDTOTREND ABOUT THREE TO FOUR WEEKSBEHIND EUROPE." IN MINNESOTA--MORE THAN 740 SCHOOLS HAVE HADCASES OFTHE VARIANT FIRST IDENTIFIED INTHE U-K.IN MICHIGAN -- MORE AND MOREYOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEINGHOSPITALIZED AS CASES RISE.AND IN FLORIDA LAST MONTH...ORANGE COUNTY OFFICIALSREPORTING A RISE IN COVID-19CASES IN THE 18 TO 25 AGE GROUP."WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS POCKETS OFINFECTION AROUND THE COUNTRY,PARTICULARLY IN YOUNGER PEOPLEWHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, ANDALSO IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN."WHILE THAT AGE GROUP ISRELATIVELY WELL PROTECTED,EXPERTS SAY YOUNGER GROUPS ARESTILL VULNERABLE ASTHE B.1.1.7 VARIANT CIRCULATES.EXPERTS SAY THE VARIANT IS MORECONTAGIOUS AND MAY CAUSE MORESEVERE ILLNESS.AND RESEARCH SUGGESTS IT MAYALSO BE MORE DEADLY."IT'S ACTING DIFFERENTLY FROMANYTHING WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, INTERMS OF TRANSMISSIBILITY, INTERMS OF AFFECTINGYOUNG PEOPLE, SO WE HAVE TO TAKETHIS VERY SERIOUSLY."THE GOOD NEWS-- EXPERTS SAYCURRENT VACCINES SEEMTO BE WORKING WELL AGAINST THISVARIANT.FOR TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE--I'MMARY MOLONEY.THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE ISSENDING MORE MONEY T