New York COVID variant could infect vaccinated residents and those who have already had the virus, former FDA head Dr. Scott Gottlieb warns
Dr. Scott Gottlieb has warned that the New York variant of COVID-19 could reinfect survivors of the virus and people who have been vaccinated.
The former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner spoke to CBS’ Margaret Brennan on ‘Face the Nation’ about the variant known as B.1.526 and said it is not yet known where it is causing an increase in cases in parts of New York City.
He warned: ‘What we don’t understand with 1.526 is whether or not people are being re-infected with it and whether or not people who might have been vaccinated are now getting infected with it.
‘One of the concerns about this particular variant is that it has that mutation that’s also in the South African variant, in the B.1.351 variant, that we know in certain cases is causing people who have already had coronavirus to get reinfected with it.’
He added: ‘The question is whether 1.526 is responsible for some of the increases that we’re seeing in New York right now and whether this is the beginning of a new outbreak inside the city.’
Dr. Scott Gottlieb has warned that the New York variant of COVID-19 could reinfect survivors of the virus and people who have been vaccinated