02/25/2021
Today we wanted to shed a light on COVID-19 variants. Variants is a form or version of something that differs in some respect from other forms of the same thing or from a standard. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily they spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them. Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses. Basically that means that Covid-19 is one of the many siblings in one big family. Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces. Scientists monitor changes in the virus, including changes to the spikes on the surface of the virus. These studies, including genetic analyses of the virus, which are helping scientists understand how changes to the virus might affect how it spreads and what happens to people who are infected with it. These variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on health care resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths. So lets remember to be safe, stay in whenever possible and always wear a mask when going out.
