MOSCOW, January 12. /TASS/. Preventive measures against the coronavirus already in effect in Russia will allow to curb the spread of the so-called British strain in the country, Deputy Director for Research of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Alexander Gorelov told TASS on Tuesday.

"Since the British strain is a variety of the same coronavirus infection, the preventive measures that have already proved their effectiveness remain. This includes timely detection of the infection, isolation of the infected, observance of social distancing and use of means of individual protection, and, of course, inoculation. All arrivals from abroad are screened for the presence of the coronavirus without fail. Thanks to these measures, a patient infected with the British strain was detected in time, was isolated, and is now in good health," he said.

As the scientist noted, even though with the British strain the reproduction coefficient of the infection has grown from 1.1 to 1.5, "the main fact is that severity of the course of the infection hasn’t aggravated." "The mode of transmission has also remained the same - predominantly airborne," he added.

Earlier, Russian top sanitary doctor Anna Popova stated that an isolated case of the infection with the British strain of the coronavirus was registered in Russia at the end of last year, currently the patient is not contagious anymore.

Reports of the British strain appeared in mid-December. Due to this, many countries suspended air service with the UK, including Russia which extended flight suspension through February 1.