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COVID-19 variant R.1 is ‘something really to watch,' researcher says
Fox News
As the coronavirus continues to spread around the world, researchers are keeping a close eye on the R.1 variant in the United States.
However, in a post detailing an outbreak at a Kentucky nursing home in March, the agency said R.1 does have "several mutations of importance," demonstrating "evidence of increasing virus transmissibility … evidence of reduced neutralization by convalescent and post-vaccination sera" and the potential to "reduce the effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies."
"Although vaccination was associated with decreased likelihood of infection and symptomatic illness, 25.4% of vaccinated residents and 7.1% of vaccinated (health care providers) were infected, supporting concerns about potential reduced protective immunity to R.1," the CDC reported. "In addition, four possible reinfections were identified, providing some evidence of limited or waning natural immunity to this variant."