SARS-CoV-2 variant that emerged in UK more transmissible; could spark resurgences

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/aaft-svt030321.php

 

News Release 3-Mar-2021
American Association for the Advancement of Science

 

A variant of SARS-CoV-2 that emerged in southeast England in November 2020 is more transmissible than pre-existing variants, a new modeling study finds. Further analyses suggest the variant - VOC 202012/01 - will lead to large resurgences of COVID-19 cases. "Without stringent control measures, including limited closure of educational institutions and a greatly accelerated vaccine roll-out, COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths across England in 2021 will exceed those in 2020," the study's authors say.


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Based on their analysis, they identify increased transmissibility as the model that best explains the variant's rapid spread. They estimate that the novel variant has a 43-90% higher reproduction number than preexisting variants of SARS-CoV-2 in England.

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