This State Shows Threat to COVID-19 Recovery, New Data Show

According to a new analysis of the spread of the novel coronavirus from Bloomberg, “A highly infectious Covid-19 variant is circulating widely in Florida, prompting concern that a resurgence of the virus is possible in the state and beyond, even as cases and hospitalizations drop dramatically.” The variant in Florida is one of several that have been discovered in the past several months.

Bloomberg also points out that the most worrisome variant, known as B.1.1.7, accounts for about 30% of samples taken in Florida recently. Moreover, the B.1.1.7 variant is spreading quickly elsewhere as well. The New York Times reports that the “variant first reported in the United Kingdom has likely grown to account for more than 20 percent of new U.S. cases as of this week, according to an analysis of data from Helix, a lab testing company.”

In addition to the B.1.1.7 variant, the CDC tracks two others. The B.1.351 variant has been diagnosed in 20 states, and the P.1 variant has been spotted in nine. Florida is one of the affected states in both instances, with the first P.1 case showing up on Feb. 18 and the B 1.351 virus initially reported on Feb. 18. (At least one additional variant has been discovered in California. According to the Mercury News, “There is also another variant of concern in California, what appears to be a homegrown variant known as B.1.427 and B.1.429.”)

The pace of vaccinations in Florida is slightly below average, another challenge to stopping the spread of COVID-19 there. A total of 7,771,315 doses have been delivered to the state, out of which 5,904,827 shots have been administered. According to the CDC, that translates to 17% of people in Florida having received at least one dose of vaccine, and less than 10% having gotten two shots.

The rush by some states to reopen poses the threat of rapid disease spread. The likelihood of events with large numbers of people without masks almost certainly rises. Florida’s warm weather is another reason it is more vulnerable than many other locations. One leading authority on the pandemic pointed to spring break as a danger. With the exception of last year, spring break traditionally brings tens of thousands of college students to the southeast Florida coast. It is the “perfect storm,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine told CNN.