Study: Younger people more at risk of catching new virus strain

Even though it may only have been weeks since a new strain of the novel coronavirus was discovered in the U.K., it’s clear that it’s quickly spreading well beyond British borders, with cases reported in more than 30 countries, including at least three states in the U.S. But as scientists strive to learn everything they can about the variant and what effects it could have on the pandemic, it’s becoming clear who’s most at risk. Aaccording to a new study out of Imperial College London, it appears that young people are more likely to catch the new COVID strain, particularly those under the age of 20. Read on to see what else scientists uncovered, and for more on where the virus is spreading, check out This Is How Bad the COVID Outbreak Is in Your State.

The new research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, used public health data to compare how reported cases have been affected by the spread of the new variant, which is believed to be responsible for the majority of cases throughout London and the southeast of England. Not only did the findings uphold previous theories that the new strain is more transmissible than the current dominant virus, but the scientists also found that younger members of the population were more likely to become infected by the new strain.