The Centers for Disease Control says the new mutant strain of Covid-19 in the UK is not deadlier or more severe than the current strains of Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus going around.
The UK reported a new, deadlier strain of SARS-CoV-2 that resulted in increased hospitalizations and deaths.
The news prompted other countries to shut their borders to anyone arriving from the UK. Anxiety about the new strain spread across the pond to the U.S., where some states have been locked down since March.
The CDC issued a statement on Tuesday, calling for calm and stating there is “no evidence” the mutant strain causes more severe respiratory illness or increased risk of death.
The new UK strain, which is known as “B.1.1.7.” has not been isolated in a lab in the U.S., though former FDA director Scott Gottlieb said the new strain has almost certainly spread around the globe.
The CDC urged all states to give priority to minorities when distributing the mRNA vaccine. As a result, 25 states are now prioritizing Black, Hispanic, and Native American residents over white people for vaccine distribution.
