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COVID In Pennsylvania: Dr. Rob Danoff Joins Eyewitness News To Discuss New COVID-19 Variant

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the first confirmed case of the COVID-19 variant in the state on Thursday. That confirmed case is in Dauphin County.

On Friday Dr. Rob Danoff joined Eyewitness News to talk about this new strain.

So, what do health experts know about this particular new strain of the virus?

Dr. Danoff says that it is in at least seven states right now that we know of, what we do know is a little more they estimate 25 to 50% more contagious than the other strain.  So it is easily transmitted from person to person.

But the good news is experts feel that people who have had the virus before and have recovered have good immunity and health experts think the vaccines will do the same thing.

Will the current vaccines offer any additional protection against this new variant?

Dr. Danoff says these vaccines recognize slight changes to a virus.

So, the slight changes that have occurred in the strain that was detected in Britain, the vaccine makers feel that their vaccines will cover this pretty well. But there are ongoing studies.

On Thursday night it was reported that Sixers guard Seth Curry tested positive for COVID-19, so what is the likelihood of more players contracting the virus?

The chances are "very high", according to Dr. Danoff. That is because he was playing on the court and breathing very heavily during play. He also says that Curry could've been infectious one if not two days before testing positive.

Despite the NBA conducting rapid testing, Dr. Danoff suspects that we will see more cases within the team or even the Brooklyn Nets.

Watch the video to hear the full interview.

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