UK variant spread rapidly in care homes

The UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly in care homes in England in November and December last year, broadly reflecting its spread in the general population, according to a study by UCL researchers. The study, published as a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine , looked at positive PCR tests of care home staff and residents between October and December. It found that, among the samples it had access to, the proportion of infections caused by the new variant rose from 12% in the week beginning 23 November to 60% of positive cases just two weeks later, in the week beginning 7 December. In the south east of England, where the variant was most dominant, the proportion increased from 55% to 80% over the same period. In London, where the variant spread fastest, the proportion increased from 20% to 66%. The researchers said the timing of infections suggested the new variant may have been passed from staff to residents, with positive cases among older people occurring later. Senior author Dr Laura Shallcross (UCL Institute of Health Informatics) said: "Our findings suggest the UK variant spread just as quickly in care homes as it did in the general population.