Last Tuesday, a Sonoma County resident checked into an unidentified local pharmacy and presented the UK variant of COVID-19 in their test sample. 

According to the CDC, the UK variant is a mutation and has thus created a different strain of COVID-19 that is far more contagious with the ability to spread quicker and easier than other strains. The CDC also states that the, “…variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared with other variants.” 

This variant has spread throughout the globe and been detected in dozens of countries, including the United States. The CDC claims the variant was first reported in the U.S. in Dec. of 2020. 

The test sample was not recognized through traditional state or federal surveillance programs that Sonoma County has been a part of since Jan., so the test sample was sent into a separate laboratory for a genetic analysis. They looked through the individual’s genes, chromosomes, proteins, and more to find out the results came back positive for the UK variant. “We’re still trying to really piece this story together to find out if there is anything more,” the county’s deputy health officer, Kismet Baldwin, said. 

The resident has yet to be identified or spoken to by officials. However, the individual and their roommate are currently in isolation. “I don’t think it would be unlikely that there’s more cases. But we don’t know, and we’re investigating that case as we speak,” Baldwin said. 

Despite the cancellation of vaccination appointments and shortage of doses in California, UC Berkely’s infectious disease expert Dr. John Swartzberg claims the three different COVID-19 vaccines give a very powerful immune response for people battling the UK variant. “This is one reason why we need to immunize as many people as quickly as possible,” Swartzberg said. 

It is uncertain if there will be another possible outbreak, but, “We’re watching it, and the state is watching it,” Baldwin said. It has been just about one year since the beginning of the pandemic and individuals are finally getting vaccinated around the world. Swartzbeg states that the UK variant is doubling every nine to 10 days, and may become the dominant strain by the end of the month. 

Other than Sonoma County, counties ranging from Napa, Santa Clara, and San Francisco are cleared from rules within the purple tier, or tier one of safety precautions regarding COVID-19. This tier indicates how much the virus has spread throughout the county. According to ABC News, being in the purple tier means amusement parks, breweries and distilleries, bars, and work offices remain closed while retail stores, hair salons, shopping centers, hotels, professional sports, and personal care services remain open. All other gatherings, places of attraction, playgrounds, gym facilities, churches, and restaurants remain open for outside only. Thus, museums, zoos, movie theaters, gyms, wineries, breweries, and more will reopen at 25% capacity within these three outside regions.   

Sonoma County officials plan to present a public health communication campaign next week to remind residents to not only continue to follow safety precautions, but to urge them to get tested if needed and vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure the safety of the country.  

“We want to limit the spread of variants as much as possible, but they are in the state and we don’t want to see another increase in cases again,” Baldwin said.  

For more information regarding the UK variant and more, visit www.cdc.gov.