A New York resident has been confirmed to have contracted the Brazilian COVID-19 strain. Fears of community spread warranted.
This past Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that a New Yorker has contracted the Brazilian COVID-19 strain.
According to Cuomo, this case marks the first time the Brazilian COVID-19 (P.1) strain has been identified in New York.
Additionally, the person that has been confirmed to have the Brazilian COVID-19 strain had no recent travel history, which has sparked fears that the new strain of the virus is spreading among the community.
The patient that contracted P.1 is a 90-year-old Brooklyn resident, and at the moment, researchers are not in agreeance about whether or not current COVID-19 vaccines can protect against P.1.
What has been decided is that P.1 is a “variant of concern”, as evidence has suggested that the new strain has increased transmissibility, and causes a more severe disease.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “This is a race between the vaccine and the variants, and we continue to make tremendous progress of getting shots in the arms of eligible New Yorkers.
In the meantime, we remind New Yorkers to do everything they can to protect themselves and their neighbors as we continue to manage this pandemic.”