The new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus has been detected for the first time also in the USA. The mutation was diagnosed in a 20-year-old patient in the state of Colorado, as the governor there Jared Polis announced yesterday on Twitter. The man is in quarantine in Elbert County, he said. He had not been traveling, he said.
Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK.
Biden: U.S. may face toughest phase in pandemic
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden swore Americans in for what could be the toughest phase in the pandemic. “The next few weeks and months are going to be very tough, a very tough phase for our nation. Perhaps the toughest in the entire pandemic,” Biden said yesterday (local time) in Wilmington, Delaware. “I know that’s hard to hear, but it’s the truth.”
Biden pledged to use his powers to speed up the production of vaccines and protective equipment after he takes office on Jan. 20. He said his administration’s goal is to ensure that 100 million vaccinations are administered in its first 100 days. “If Congress provides the funding, we could achieve this incredible goal,” Biden said. He accused the administration of incumbent Donald Trump of falling behind on its vaccination schedule.
Biden again urged people to follow proven protective measures such as mask-wearing and physical distance and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Already, there have been more than 330,000 deaths since the pandemic began – and before the situation improves, things will get worse first, Biden warned.
- Source: orf.at/picture: pixabay.com
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