In The United States, Florida is ground zero for the highly contagious British variant of the COVID-19 virus known as B117. The number of cases in Florida had quadrupled in the last month. Thee are 380 cases as of February 17, 2021. B117 is much more contagious than the initial version of COVID-19. It has also been found to be up to 70% more lethal that the initial version of COVID-19. South Florida leads the state in the number of cases with Broward County showing the biggest numbers. B117, is one of several strains, including ones first detected in Brazil and South Africa, that could spread and kill more efficiently than their predecessors, making it more difficult for the world to emerge from the pandemic. With Florida wide open for business, it can spread among the population at ease.
Country wide the number of COVID cases has been dropping, but this new variant might reverse that trend where it gains a foothold. Researchers fear that B117 will become the predominant strain of the virus in America by March 2021. So far, research suggests current vaccines work just as well against the U.K. variant.
“Florida is leading the way in terms of one of the fastest rates of B117,” Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist with the Federation of American Scientists, told CBS12 News. “Every exhalation of breath has [a] more higher concentration of the virus. And that is why it is so much more transmissible.” Florida does not place any restrictions on capacity or enforce social distancing in businesses. Mask mandates are in place but individuals can’t be fined for not wearing a mask.
Despite the spread of B117 in Florida, tourists have flown into the state in droves and are more than happy to fly back home bringing B117 back with them.