By Wyatt McInerney
People just want COVID-19 to go away, to disappear along with 2020, and while we are getting closer to a fix, there is a new strand of COVID ravaging the U.K. and now making its way across the pond to America. While this new strand is not any more deadly, it is 50 percent more contagious than the original strand, according to experts.
Experts also predicting that the new strain will likely become the dominant strain by March of this year.
Researchers say that the strain found here carries a “mutation identical to the strain found in the U.K” and after further research, it has been identified in 11 states so far.
However, most scientists believe that the vaccines will still be effective in fighting the new strains.
Dr. Pete Mohler, a co-author of the study, said, “At this point, we have no data to believe that these mutations will have any impact on the effectiveness of vaccines now in use.”
But it seems the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.
“In my 34 years, I never thought I would see anything like this,” said Ken McKenzie, who runs a funeral home in Southern California.
“This time last year there would probably be two or three people that I’d be caring for. Right now, there’s probably 40 or 50 embalmed bodies here with families waiting to have closure.”
