A Dangerous COVID-19 Variant Reported in Chicago: Vaccine’s Need Is Now More Than Ever
According to the report by the Chicago Department of Public Health, the city has recently encountered its first case of a new variant of Covid-19. The report of medical experts declared the case to be of a Brazilian variant, and it has never been seen in Chicago.
The Brazilian Covid-19 variant is known to be far more dangerous and contagious than any other variant of coronavirus, and it is the first case of such a variant in Chicago. The case of such variant is also the first for Illinois, reported health officials.
The variant of coronavirus is called P.1. It was discovered first by a medical research team of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in an individual who had not recently traveled outside Illinois. That puts the medical community in a complicated state of wondering how the variant was transmitted in the first place in an Illinois resident.
The Brazilian variant found recently is reported to be a different variation from those encountered in South Africa and Britain. It is thought to be a more dangerously transmissible kind of coronavirus strain that was abundantly found at the beginning of an outbreak. After some time, it became scarce. However, now, it has shown its face again.
Chicago isn't the only place where it was recently found. In late January, Minnesota's health officials were the ones to announce the first case of the variant in the United States, which was encountered in a person who had recently traveled from South America.
Illinois has recently encountered first-cases of Covid-19 variants from the UK and South Africa in mid-January and early February. Now it is also face to face from South American variant.
The US health experts are faithful towards the current vaccines regarding the protection against such dangerous variants. If not complete, then to at least some level, protection can be expected from the vaccines against such contagious strains, stated the medical community. However, Chicago’s top doctor had previously reminded the authorities that one of the three strains (British, Brazilian, and South African) poses a bigger risk than the others; thus, it is more contagious than any other variant, and that variant is of South Africa.
These critical times demand rapid, effective, and safe distribution of the vaccine. The nation has a chance to win this battle only when the vaccine gets deployed from shoulder to shoulder most efficiently. That being said, the residents of Chicago are expecting the government to hurry up the Phase-wise vaccination schedule so everyone can get vaccinated before the US goes in the fourth wave, which it is definitely riding towards for the past few months.
Eligible people can make appointments for vaccines using the website or a hotline. Homebound seniors can register for in-home vaccination through Chicago Fire Department's pilot program. Moreover, you can get a verified and approved Free Vaccination from a reputable clinic in Chicago, book your appointment now.