New, contagious coronavirus variant could worsen pandemic, CDC warns - CNN

A variant first identified in Britain known as B.1.1.7 is being found in the US as well, and modeling indicates it could worsen the already terrible spread of the virus across the country, the CDC researchers said.

That means people need to try harder to wear masks, avoid gatherings and stay socially distant from one another.

"It means that it is going to be harder and harder to control it.

"That's not to say we can do nothing."

The new variant does not seem to result in higher rates of hospitalization or higher rates of death, he noted.

"While there is a high probability that this is going to become a larger and larger proportion of all cases, if we can get people to become more adherent to the recommended measures, the number of cases don't need to go up," Armstrong said.

Plus, the CDC needs to do more to keep an eye out for new variants, and for the appearance of this one.