Variant Of COVID-19 Virus Detected In Three Alabamians

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2021/01/141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:865;s:4:"file";s:76:"2021/01/141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:18:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-768x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-1152x1536.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1152;s:6:"height";i:1536;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-552x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:552;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"gb-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"gb-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"web-stories-poster-portrait";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-640x853.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:853;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"web-stories-poster-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"web-stories-poster-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-publisher-logo";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:21:"web-stories-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:75:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-e1611870142271-150x84.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:84;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:19:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:2048;s:4:"file";s:53:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-336x448.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:448;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:62:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-768x1024.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:1024;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:62:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-771x1028.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:1028;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"1536x1536-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-1152x1536.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1152;s:6:"height";i:1536;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:59:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-233x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:233;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-199x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:199;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"gb-block-post-grid-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"gb-block-post-grid-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:32:"web-stories-poster-portrait-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-640x853.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:853;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"web-stories-poster-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"web-stories-poster-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:31:"web-stories-publisher-logo-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:59:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"141282581_10164491052330007_7622003712519116789_o-150x200.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:200;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Alabama Department of Public Health Vaccine
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1655579132 
1611762240

The novel coronavirus that has pushed the world into a pandemic has mutated into additional strains, and one of those strains, that is more contagious, has now reached Alabama.

The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that three Alabama residents are infected with the strain called B.1.1.7.

One person is from Jefferson County, and the two others are from Montgomery County. The patients include one adult and two people under the age of 19.

The variant was first found in the U.K. late last year. It’s described as a “new and more highly transmissible” virus. So far, B.1.1.7 has been detected in 24 other states, including Tennessee, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

“Viruses mutate, and due to surveillance, it was expected that cases would be found in Alabama,” wrote the ADPH in a press release.

This variant is more contagious than previous strains of COVID-19, according to the health department. But so far in the United States, this strain isn’t believed to be more deadly or cause stronger symptoms.

“At this time, many infectious disease experts and the CDC have indicated that the current vaccine should be effective against the U.K. strain. However, this is still being studied,” said the ADPH. “Currently, the U.K. variant has not definitively been linked to worse outcomes of the disease.”

But authorities in the U.K. disagree. Last week, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the B.1.1.7 variant maybe 30% more fatal than previous strains.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s chief scientific adviser said, “There’s a lot of uncertainty around these numbers, and we need more work to get a precise handle on it, but it obviously is a concern that this [variant] has an increase in mortality as well as an increase in transmissibility.”

In a new report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said “the increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7 variant warrants universal and increased compliance with mitigation strategies, including distancing and masking. Higher vaccination coverage might need to be achieved to protect the public.”

The ADPH continues to advise everyone to wear face masks, to maintain social distance and to wash hands frequently.

 

Trump will toss TikTok another lifeline, pushing back its sell-by date for a third time

Last year, Congress banned the app in the U.S., citing national security concerns and demanding it spin off from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Trump said he'll once again pause enforcement of the ban.

‘I literally grew up in prison’: Juvenile lifers share struggles, pleasures of coming home

Accounts of reentry are notable as juvenile cases continue to undergo review. Attorneys and advocates say progress on reviews is halting in some states.

Social Security benefits face big cuts in 2033, unless Congress acts

Trustees of the Social Security trust fund predict the fund will be exhausted in eight years. Unless Congress acts, Social Security payments will automatically drop by 23% at that time.

Democratic lawmakers press USDA for answers on sensitive data collection

35 House members said they are troubled by the Agriculture Department's plans to collect personal data from people who applied for federal food assistance, and urged the effort to "immediately cease."

Greetings from Shenyang, China, where workers sort AI data in ‘Severance’-like ways

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares snapshots of moments from their lives and work around the world.

Looking for summertime suspense? Turn up the heat with these 4 mystery novels

Maureen Corrigan recommends four great reads: El Dorado Drive, by Megan Abbott; The House on Buzzards Bay, by Dwyer Murphy; King of Ashes, by S.A. Cosby; and Murder Takes a Vacation, by Laura Lippman.

More BirminghamWatch Coverage