The Mississippi State Department of Health has announced that a new variant strain of COVID-19 has been identified in Mississippi.State health leaders announced Friday that the more infectious South African strain of COVID-19 has been discovered in a person in Harrison County.B.1.351 is the official name of the strain and originated in South Africa. It was first detected in the United States back in January. 25 other states have also reported cases of this new strain. Dr. Thomas Dobbs said that research has shown that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may not be as effective against this strain as the Pfizer and Moderna. Dobbs pointed out that Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson all show strong effectiveness at lessening the severity of COVID-19 cases in general by preventing hospitalizations and death. He urges folks to get whatever vaccine is available to them because the purpose of vaccinations are to limit morbidity and mortality from the virus, which is something Dobbs said current COVID-19 vaccines are absolutely effective at. Health officials reiterated that spread of the new strain is very limited in the US at this time. Another variant, the UK strain, was identified in Mississippi back in mid-February and has affected 10 patients so far in the state, according to Dr. Paul Byers. Dr. Dobbs urges people to continue to seek vaccinations. He said the new strain will seriously impact the unvaccinated population. He also encourages people to continue wearing masks and to social distance from others.
JACKSON, Miss. —
The Mississippi State Department of Health has announced that a new variant strain of COVID-19 has been identified in Mississippi.
State health leaders announced Friday that the more infectious South African strain of COVID-19 has been discovered in a person in Harrison County.
B.1.351 is the official name of the strain and originated in South Africa. It was first detected in the United States back in January. 25 other states have also reported cases of this new strain.
Dr. Thomas Dobbs said that research has shown that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may not be as effective against this strain as the Pfizer and Moderna.
Dobbs pointed out that Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson all show strong effectiveness at lessening the severity of COVID-19 cases in general by preventing hospitalizations and death. He urges folks to get whatever vaccine is available to them because the purpose of vaccinations are to limit morbidity and mortality from the virus, which is something Dobbs said current COVID-19 vaccines are absolutely effective at.
Health officials reiterated that spread of the new strain is very limited in the US at this time.
Another variant, the UK strain, was identified in Mississippi back in mid-February and has affected 10 patients so far in the state, according to Dr. Paul Byers.
Dr. Dobbs urges people to continue to seek vaccinations. He said the new strain will seriously impact the unvaccinated population.
He also encourages people to continue wearing masks and to social distance from others.