Spring break could be a perfect storm for spreading variants of the coronavirus. Don’t let it happen

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Spring break begins for hundreds of universities this month. And the typical spring break festivities could lead to countless Americans becoming infected, as the coronavirus variants threaten to overtake vaccinations.

“It’s the perfect storm,” Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

“You have the B.1.1.7 variant speeding up in Florida. You have all these 20-year-olds. None of them will have a mask on. They’re all going to drink. They’re having pretty close and intimate contact. And then, once that’s all done, they’re going to go back to their home country and release B.1.1.7. ”

And the director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently sent a direct message to all Americans: “Don’t travel,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “We would really, really advocate not to travel at this time.”

Students who have a week of freedom can therefore help make or break the next chapter of this pandemic. Here’s what to know before going to a party or traveling to a Spring Break hot spot:

The B.1.1.7 strain is really, really contagious

Scientists are concerned about the circulation of several new variants in the United States. But Hotez is most concerned about the B.1.1.7 strain, which was first detected in the UK but has already spread to at least 44 US states.
Research shows that in the United States, the variant is 59% to 74% more transmissible than the original new coronavirus.

“Florida has the highest percentage of the British variant B.1.1.7,” Hotez said. “Spring break in Florida could be a disaster for the country.”

Greg Abbott's anti-science move to end Texas mask tenure
Other states with popular beaches could also become launching pads for new epidemics – particularly Texas and Mississippi, where governors have lifted a mask warrant or will soon do so.

“A lot (of students) will be going to South Texas as well, and that’s a problem too,” said Hotez, who lives in Houston.

Hotez said dropping a mask mandate in his state would have a nationwide ripple effect.

“This will accelerate Covid-19 nationwide,” he said.

You can’t rely on a negative test result to be safe

Testing can lead to false negative results, especially if you are tested too early or too late and do not strictly quarantine before and after your test.
And yes, you could be contagious even without symptoms and with a negative test result.

Young people are certainly not immune

Although young people are more likely to be asymptomatic when infected, it also means that they can easily pass the virus on to friends and family without realizing it.

I can't shake Covid-19: warnings from young survivors still in pain

But even previously healthy young adults suffered from long-lasting complications from Covid-19.

In one survey, 35% of Covid-19 survivors still had symptoms two to three weeks after their tests, according to a CDC study.

In the 18 to 34 age group, 26% said they still had symptoms weeks later.
Some young people suffered from complications months after infection, such as shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, brain fog, long-term fever, cough, memory loss, and inability to taste or smell .

Alcohol and parties often equate to zero protection

Attempts to physically outrun and wear masks usually go out the window at parties where alcohol is involved.

Spring break trip led to 64 cases of coronavirus in Texas

It’s not just that drinking causes people to take off their masks (if they wear one at all). Alcohol can cause people to come closer to each other than usual, Hotez said.

It’s especially dangerous this spring break, when revelers in popular hotspots can not only be exposed to college students across the country – they could also be exposed to variants or outbreaks from those parts of the country.

“So now is not the time to have a big-ticket event for this British variant, what spring break in Florida would look like,” Hotez said.

“Now is not the time to send a bunch of 20-year-olds to Florida and then send them back, broadcast them across the country.”

Pandemic fatigue is real – but totally conquered

Not celebrating Spring Break the way you want this year can seem devastating. But there will be a much better chance of partying once everyone has been vaccinated.

“The best thing to do right now is to avoid long trips unless you have been vaccinated or have recently been infected,” Hotez said. “Just try to keep a lid on anything we can until we can fully immunize.”

Most states still need masks to fight the spread of Covid-19

Unfortunately, the vast majority of students have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. But there is good news on the horizon:

– If enough people get vaccinated, this will likely be the last year of major Covid-19 disruption.

– Current vaccines “work very well” against the troubling B.1.1.7 variant, Hotez said.

–President Joe Biden recently said that an increase in supply means there could be enough vaccines for all American adults by the end of May.

– The sooner we vaccinate and get Covid-19 under control, the faster we can resume a normal life.

“I know it’s frustrating,” Hotez said. “But try to maximize social distancing and masks, and this might be the last break week you have to give up.”

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