Prognosis
Easy-to-Spread Covid Variant in U.S. Amps Up Vaccine Urgency
- New York becomes fourth state with new strain, governor says
- CDC gearing up studies on how fast and where strain may spread
Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg
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An easier-to-spread variant of Covid-19 detected in the U.S. could intensify the virus’s surge, if it hasn’t already, boosting the urgency for a speedier, more effective vaccine push.
Last week, three states -- Colorado, California and Florida -- identified cases of the mutated strain that’s been raging in the U.K. for months. On Monday, New York became the fourth state with the new strain, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. U.S. health officials, meanwhile, say they don’t yet know how many other states may be hit, or what it means for the future.