British doctors have identified the Indian strain of the new coronavirus as the most dangerous and contagious, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Specialists analyzed cases of patients in Scotland between April 1 and May 28 this year. In 99% of them, a complete examination of the course of the disease was performed. During the period under review, 19.543 confirmed cases of the virus were registered.

Based on the data, the researchers conclude that the risk of hospitalization in patients with the Indian strain of Covid-19 is twice as high as the British.

Doctors also note that the risk of hospitalization is significantly higher in patients with five or more other conditions.

Studies show that vaccination is a safe way to reduce the risk of infection, although Astra Zeneka and Pfizer are less effective against the Indian version than the British version. However, doctors say they do not have enough data on hospitalized patients with the new coronavirus to compare vaccines.