The Lancet Studies Find No Link Between UK COVID-19 Variant, Higher Mortality

LONDON (Sputnik) - Scientists have found no evidence that the UK strain of the coronavirus leads to more severe disease or death, according to two new studies published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health journals.

Researchers from the United Kingdom analyzed samples of COVID-19 patients and compared their symptoms among those infected with other strains, including the UK strain — B.1.1.7.

"We found no excess mortality risk associated with B.1.1.7 compared with non-B.1.1.7 in unadjusted analyses," the study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Monday read, adding that "We did not identify an association of the variant with severe disease in this hospitalised cohort."

The researchers also did not find a link between the UK variant and the increase in COVID-19 reinfections.

Based on the results of the study, the scientists concluded that the existing coronavirus vaccines were effective against B.1.1.7.

In December 2020, the United Kingdom informed the World Health Organization of a mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was reported to be up to 70 percent more transmissible than other coronavirus variants. Although the new variant has not been proven to be more pathogenic, many states shut their borders and suspended travel with the United Kingdom.