A man in Houston has tested positive for the newest strain of Covid-19. He is so far the first confirmed case of the new strain in Texas. The Harris County Health Department has isolated the man and notified his family. To their knowledge this strain is contained for now within Texas. However, this man had no travel history meaning that there are likely still asymptomatic cases within Houston.
According to the CDC, there are currently two prominent Covid strains in circulation. One is the B.1.1.7 variant, which originated in England. The other is the B.1.351 variant which originated in South Africa. Both variants have been detected outside of their original countries.
These strains are being tracked in order to give scientists a better understanding of the Covid-19 virus and how it can mutate. Tracking these mutations will help with speculation of how the virus could mutate in the future.
It’s important to note that these new strains do not mark the beginning of a new pandemic. While the virus is more infectious than the strain that originated in Wuhan, there is no evidence that it will have any additional resistance to the vaccines being distributed now. This likely means that our time in quarantine will not be extended because of these new strains. However, it also means that current restrictions will likely remain in place to stop its spread.
How to Help
It’s not newsworthy to say, but if you would like to help stop this spread the best way is to follow the CDC guidelines. Wear a mask, wash your hands social distance, take care of your body and avoid large crowds.
Bibliography
“Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scienceand-research/scientific-brief-emerging-variants.html.
“How to Protect Yourself & Others.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dec. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
Jordan, Jay R. “New COVID Strain Arrives in Harris County, First in Texas.” Chron, The Houston Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2021, www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/New-COVID-strain-Harris-County-Texas-15853234.php.
