Scientists found that 36 percent of UK-variant patients became severely ill or died, compared with 38 percent of those with other strains Dr. Claire Steves: We confirmed the increased transmissibility, but also showed that the UK variant clearly responded to lockdown measures LONDON: New studies suggest that the UK variant of COVID-19 does not increase the chances of death, serious illness or “long COVID.” Research in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health used data from symptom reports made by 37,000 people to a virus-tracking mobile app and information from patients in hospital. The first study assessed COVID-19 patients admitted to University College London Hospital and North Middlesex University Hospital between Nov. 9 and Dec. 20. Scientists compared 198 patients with the UK variant and 143 with other COVID-19 strains. They found that 36 percent of UK-variant patients became severely ill or died, compared with 38 percent of those with other strains. The second study used data from people who accessed the COVID-19 app and tested positive between Sept. 28 and Dec. 27. Researchers at King’s College London (KCL) found that the UK variant did not appear to affect the type or length of symptoms that patients endured. Dr. Claire Steves, a physician at KCL and the study’s co-leader, said: “We confirmed the increased transmissibility, but also showed that the UK variant clearly responded to lockdown measures and does not appear to escape immunity gained by exposure to the original virus.”