Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
New Coronavirus Variant Found In LA County And Throughout California
A sign announces free COVID-19 Testing in Boyle Heights. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
()
All viruses mutate over time, and Sars-CoV-2, which has become known worldwide as the novel coronavirus, is no exception. It’s mutated thousands of times since it was first identified more than a year ago.
Every once in a while a virus mutates in a way that helps it survive and reproduce. That may have happened with a new variant of the coronavirus popping up in California.
People have tested positive for COVID-19 with this new variant in 12 counties so far, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Humboldt, Lake, Mono, Monterey, San Luis Obisbo, and also San Clara County, where it’s been linked to outbreaks.
Support for LAist comes from
Researchers are trying to determine if the new variant is more infectious than the current dominant strain.
“These viruses are pretty clever, and they are known to mutate,” said Karin Michels, chair of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
The variant contains mutations in the spike protein, which the viruses use to attack cell walls, Michels said. The two COVID-19 vaccines on the market, made by Pfizer and Moderna, train the body’s immune system to attack the spike protein.
“We are facing the first significant mutation of this virus right now. Luckily, it seems that it's mutated in a way that the current vaccine still protects from this new variant,” Michels said.
But if the virus remains unchecked, it will mutate faster, she said, potentially in a way that the current vaccines can't protect against.
“It could be, another variant that's developing right now, that will not be captured and covered by our vaccine. That’s why it is so important to vaccinate people as quickly as possible,” Michels said.
The new mutation is different from the highly contagious strain first discovered in the United Kingdom, which also has public health officials worried. The U.S. federal government has warned that the British variant could become the dominant strain in this country by March.
Support for LAist comes from
If that happens, hospitals could be overwhelmed by a rapid rise in new COVID-19 cases.
Michels said she’s worried.
“We're racing against the clock. Who is going to win, us or the virus?”
READ MORE:
New COVID-19 Strain Confirmed In LA County; Cases Top 1 Million
- LA Opens Dodger Stadium To Help Vaccinate Half A Million Health Workers
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist