How many coronavirus variants are there?
There are many circulating around the world, but health experts are primarily concerned with the emergence of three.
As a virus infects people, it can move as it makes children on its own. Some mutations can be harmful to a virus, killing it. Others can offer an advantage and help it spread.
“Not every mutation is created the same,” said Dr. Mary Petrone, who studies infectious diseases at Yale University. “The virus will be lucky from time to time.”
Monitoring options are important because they can make vaccines and treatments less effective or change the way people become infected.
A mutation at the beginning of the pandemic fueled the spread of the virus around the world, but there have been no notable changes since then – until recently, said Ohio State University biologist Daniel Jones.
One of the three main variants that experts are following was discovered in the United Kingdom late last year and has been detected in dozens of countries since then. Health officials initially said it did not appear to cause more serious illness, but some newer information suggests it could – which remains unknown at this time. It seems to be spreading more easily, which could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.
The variant could become dominant in the US by March, according to to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Other variants first detected in South Africa and Brazil also appear more contagious, experts say.
Data so far suggests that current vaccines should continue to protect against these variants, although there are some concerns that their effectiveness could be slightly diminished. There is some evidence that some antibody treatments may be less effective against certain variants.
There are ways to adjust vaccines and treatments to maintain their effectiveness, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top expert on infectious diseases in the United States.
The appearance of variants is related to continuous growth because infections give viruses a chance to move and spread. This is another reason why experts emphasize the importance of wearing a mask and social distance.
“The fewer people carrying the virus, the fewer opportunities there are to move,” Jones said.
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