Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Is US Surge Of Highly Contagious Variant Inevitable?
CNN: A Concerning Variant Is About To Become Dominant In The US, Experts Say, And How Americans Act Could Help Fuel Or Curb A Surge
Experts are worried some Americans are letting up too early -- at a critical time when looming dangers are threatening to wipe out the progress the US has made in its battle against Covid-19.... The highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant that was first identified in the UK [is] projected to become the dominant variant in the US by the end of this month or early April, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday. (Maxouris, 3/16)
CIDRAP: B117 Deadlier Than Other COVID-19 Strains, More Data Affirm
The B117 COVID-19 variant, which was first identified in the United Kingdom in October 2020, may pose a 61% higher risk of 28-day mortality, according to a study published today in Nature. The finding is in line with last week's BMJ study that reported B117 had a 64% higher 28-day risk of death among people older than 30, although both studies note absolute 28-day mortality risk remains low for most populations. (McLernon, 3/15)
In related news —
Reuters: New Coronavirus Variant Found In French Region Of Brittany: French Government
A new coronavirus variant has been found in the French region of Brittany, said the French health ministry in a statement late on Monday, adding that initial analysis did not show this new variant to be more serious or transmissible than others. The health ministry said the new variant had been found in a cluster of cases in a hospital centre in Lannion. (3/16)
Fox News: New COVID-19 Variant Discovered In France
The French health ministry said in a statement Monday that health officials in the country identified a new coronavirus variant that is not believed to be more deadly than earlier mutations. Reuters reported that the variant was found inside a hospital in Lannion. Disease experts have been warning about COVID-19 variants and the threats that they pose when it comes to controlling the virus. (DeMarche, 3/16)
