Coronavirus
U.K. Coronavirus Variant is Spreading Through People 20-Years-Old and Younger
A new coronavirus variant discovered in the United Kingdom is now making its rounds in the U.S., with the B.1.1.7 variant most recently identified in New York in a man who has no recent travel history.
The variant is said to be more transmissible than COVID-19 — though as of now, it’s not thought to be more virulent or resistant to vaccines and treatment. That said, a new study suggests who may be most at risk for contracting B.1.1.7: Those under 20 years of age.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and others and has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that those under 20 years of age are more likely to make up a higher percentage of B.1.1.7 cases — or what is identified in the study as the “Variant of Concern” or VOC.
Available data indicates “a shift in the age composition of reported cases, with a larger share of under 20-year-olds among reported VOC than non-VOC cases,” per the study.
