Colorado discovered its first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 — the first confirmed case in the U.S. — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and state officials announced Tuesday.
The new coronavirus strain, Polis said in a tweet, is the same variant discovered in the United Kingdom. It makes the coronavirus more transmissible. It has since spread to other parts of Europe after being discovered in the U.K. earlier this month as cases spiked in the region.
The person with the variant is a male in his 20s. He has no travel history and is in isolation in Elbert County.
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed and notified the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely,” Polis said in a statement. “We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels. I want to thank our scientists and dedicated medical professionals for their swift work and ask Coloradans to continue our efforts to prevent disease transmission by wearing masks, standing six feet apart when gathering with others, and only interacting with members of their immediate household.”
According to scientists in the U.K., although the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant is believed to be more contagious than already-identified strains of the SARS-CoV-2 variant, the symptoms are not thought to be any more severe.
It is thought that currently approved vaccines are effective, even against this variant.
“We do believe the vaccine will be effective against this variant,” Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said on “Fox News Sunday” on Dec. 27.
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