AY.4.2 The New Delta Plus Variant Infects UK. Is the U.S. Safe?

AY.4.2 is the new Delta plus variant after the Ay.1 variant that affected the UK and India. Find whether this new variant can infect Americans now. 

There have been several COVID-19 variants since the beginning of the pandemic but only four of them have been alarming and the present vaccines work well against all four variants. 

At present, scientists have discovered a new Delta plus variant AY.4.2 which is deadlier than the AY.1 Delta plus variant that had infected the UK and India in the past months. Here is everything you need to know about this new variant.

What Is the Delta Variant AY.4.2?

The UK and India have just now gained control over the infections of the Delta plus variant AY.1 but the latest Ay.4.2 poses a new threat by infecting several people in the U.K and Russia. 

The U.N health agency is tracking 20 different Delta variants at present. This new variant is the latest ‘concerning’ Delta variant offshoot of the coronavirus. Currently,6% of the COVID-19 cases in the U.K are caused by this variant. WHO’s technical lead, Maria Van Kherkove said that the Delta variant is the deadliest of all and the new Delta plus variant would top the list if it were to infect the mass. 

Vaccines and the New Variant of COVID

The Delta variant accounts for all the infections in the U.S. and authorities are concerned regarding the emergence of the coronavirus’s new variant in the U.S. as well given the occasional cases of AY.4.2 infection. 

Recent research shows that this variant is deadlier because it could transmit 10 times faster than others. CDC says that Delta variants are also resistant to treatment. Patients would require additional care to recover from a Delta infection.

Researchers are certain about the current vaccines being effective against this variant given the absence of infection in vaccinated individuals. They have also ensured that increased transmission doesn’t necessarily mean it is more dangerous.   

Booster shots will reduce the risk of infection and transmission from vaccinated individuals to unvaccinated individuals. While it is also important to get the population as soon as possible given that the virus could mutate into deadlier versions with exposure to new hosts.