Thread by @DrDenaGrayson

🚨BREAKING: the new, more contagious #coronavirus B 1.1.7 variant—1st identified in the UK—now found in at least 2 people in #California and #Colorado.

Neither person had a travel history, meaning that this new variant is spreading thru US communities.🦠

nytimes.com/2020/12/30/hea…

‼️This new, more contagious #coronavirus variant has emerged while the US is reporting nearly 200,000 new #COVID19 cases per day,

Even worse, only 2.1 million have been vaccinated—FAR SHORT of the 20 million by year end promised by the Trump Admin.🤬

https://twitter.com/drdenagrayson/status/1344126079250919426?s=21

The 2nd case of infection by this new #coronavirus variant was reported in San Diego County in a 30-yo-man who’d NOT traveled outside the US—a sign that the variant is already spreading thru US communities. A household contact has developed symptoms and is being tested.🦠😷

Although this new #coronavirus variant is NOT considered more deadly, it will cause a huge surge in the number of cases—on top of nearly 200,000 per day in the US—which will lead to more #COVID19 hospitalizations and deaths, especially in the frail and elderly populations.😰

https://twitter.com/AdamJKucharski/status/1343567425107881986

Tragically, despite our warnings, even WITHOUT this new #coronavirus variant, #COVID19 hospitalizations have been rising relentlessly since October—now totaling ~125,000—and are expected to soar higher as a result of family gatherings over the holidays.😰

‼️Many US healthcare systems are already overloaded: “In places like the US and UK, where the health care system is already at its breaking point, a huge surge of new cases on top of the exponential spread we’re already seeing is going to be really, really bad,” @angie_rasmussen.

Evolutionary biologist @trvrb believes that the new B.1.17 #coronavirus variant probably accounts for less than 1% of cases now, but predicts that it will constitute the majority of cases by March.

EXPONENTIAL viral spread made worse is very, very bad.😷🦠

#COVID19

We experts are so concerned about this new #coronavirus variant, because its >50% increase in transmissibility is even WORSE than a similar increase in mortality, due to the virus’ EXPONENTIAL spread.🦠😷

Here are more details in my interview with @JobethDeveraTV.

@NBCLX

https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1344039983464783872

Another reason for concern is that the with every new person it infects, the #coronavirus also has more chances to mutate, and thus, more chances to gain mutations that give it an advantage — by making it more transmissible or more able to evade to the immune system.🧬🦠

Luckily, the vaccines are still effective against this new #coronavirus variant.

But given enough time, the virus could mutate further, making the vaccines less effective.

This is why WE MUST VACCINATE PEOPLE 24/7!💉

Yet again, Trump LIED and failed to protect us.🤬

#COVID19

https://twitter.com/drdenagrayson/status/1344126079250919426