Variants

Key Points From Dr. Fauci’s Coronavirus Update

February 4, 2021

In a live video update on February 3, 2021, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, spoke with Dr. Howard Bauchner, editor and chief from the JAMA Network, about the status of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. Dr. Fauci started off by explaining that our current challenge with regard to vaccines is the issue of variants. While the overall efficacy of the vaccine is diminished with variants, it can still reduce severe cases of COVID-19. This is good news; however, we do still have to pay attention when it comes to the spread of variants.

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The P.1 Coronavirus Variant

January 25, 2021

A coronavirus variant (called P.1) that was first detected in Brazil was just confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Health as being the first documented case of the variant in the United States. This variant has been particularly worrying scientists because of the mutations it has that let the virus spread faster and evade the immune system more effectively. This evolution could make it easier for COVID-19 survivors to contract the disease again and could potentially impede the effectiveness of vaccines. While this is a daunting premonition, Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington, wants us to remember that “even though everyone is obviously concerned about a virus evolving, your memory B cell responsiveness also evolves over time.”

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Increase in Coronavirus Variants and Their Effects on the Vaccine

January 7, 2021

Recent developments concerning the COVID-19 virus are leading to an increase in questions and unknowns about it. While various vaccines are being distributed across the globe, recent findings on SARS-CoV-2 variants are worrying many. Some of these variants are known to spread faster and transmit more efficiently than other variants of the virus. Three of the most widespread variants are the UK variant (D614G), the Y453F mutation found in minks, and the N501Y cluster spreading in England.

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