U.K. Coronavirus Variant Will 'Undoubtedly Reach Ohio'

COLUMBUS, OH — The U.K. variant of COVID-19 will "undoubtedly reach Ohio," according to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the chief medial officer for the Ohio Department of Health.

Vanderhoff said the variant has already reached the U.S. and could soon be in Ohio. He said the virus' evolution should not scare Ohioans, but is a reminder to follow social distancing protocols.

"This reinforces the fact that we must continue our safety measures - wear a mask, social distance, avoid crowds, wash hands, get your vaccine when it's available," he said during a news conference on Tuesday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the new strain — called B.1.1.7 — has been predicted to be more rapidly transmissible than the current COVID-19. However, there is reportedly no evidence to suggest that the new variant causes more-severe illness or increased risk of death.

One of the first cases of the U.K. variant in the U.S. was confirmed Monday in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. The virus' spread was tracked to a jewelry store in Saratoga Springs.

Vanderhoff believes Ohioans should not panic that a COVID-19 variant has arrived in the U.S.

"When we think about any virus, we have to remember that it is usual for viruses to change over time. Most virus variants aren't very important because they don't change the behavior of the virus," he said.

Instead, Ohioans should buckle down and continue to follow social distancing protocols, particularly as vaccine distribution continues throughout the Buckeye State.

"Our hospitals are extremely busy and we haven't yet begun to see what the impact may be from the holiday. We have a lot of road ahead and we can't forget COVID-19 safety," Vanderhoff noted. He added that Ohio's current hospitalization level is three times what it was on Nov. 1 and seven times what it was on Oct. 1.

Vaccine distribution should begin for new groups of Ohioans in the next month or so, Gov. Mike DeWine indicated Tuesday.