It can be understandably tough to stay up to date on the COVID-19 variants of interest. Plus, when you see in the news that there’s a new COVID-19 variant, you might not really know what that means. Understanding COVID-19 variants is often easier said than done, but it is possible to generally understand the current variants. Here’s everything you need to know about COVID-19 variants.
What Are the Currently Known COVID-19 Variants?
There are a number of different COVID-19 variants that have been discovered. Variants of a virus have some kind of change in the viral structure that is either confirmed to change the characteristics of the virus or is thought to change these characteristics in some way. These are all the current known COVID-19 variants, according to the WHO’s tracking board.
- Alpha B.1.1.7
- Beta B.1.351
- Gamma P.1
- Delta B.1.617.2
- Lambda C.37
- Mu B.1.621
- R.1
- B.1.466.2
- B.1.1.318
- B.1.1.519
- C.36.3
- B.1.214.2
- B.1.427
- B.1.429
- B.1.1.523
- B.1.619
- B.1.620
- C.1.2
- B.1.617.1
- B.1.526
- B.1.525
- B.1.630
This is a lot of variants, but the WHO is a global health organization, and there are only six variants that are enough of a concern worldwide that the WHO has named them in an easier way to understand than a bunch of numbers and decimal points.
What Variants Are Currently Important To Know in the United States?
The only variant that is currently a variant of concern in the United States according to the CDC is Delta. Chances are that you’ve already heard of the Delta variant in some way. In the United States, it may be responsible for as many as 98% of cases. It’s a bit hardier and may be a little more dangerous, especially in younger individuals.
There are other variants currently present in the United States, but the fact that Delta is very transmissible means that it has done a good job of crowding out other variants in the United States. Right now, the main variant that you should be aware of in the United States is Delta, as it’s the most common and could be slightly more dangerous.
Do Variants Impact Vaccine Efficacy?
Right now, it is difficult to know whether the Delta variant in particular has reduced the vaccines’ efficacy, but preliminary research shows that if it does, it may be fairly limited. Because of the unique spike features of coronaviruses, it is extremely unlikely (or even impossible) that a variant could arise that would be able to evade vaccines while still being harmful.
If you haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, don’t hold off because of the COVID-19 variants. Variants are a normal part of viral evolution, and the COVID-19 vaccines were all developed with the knowledge that variants would arise. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep yourself safe and avoid future variants that may otherwise arise.
How Can I Learn More About COVID-19 Variants?
Staying knowledgeable about COVID-19 is one of the most important parts of keeping yourself safe. If you’re interested in staying safe from COVID-19, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about it. That’s one of the reasons PeopleFinders can be so helpful during this time, as many people are having a hard time staying up to date.
The PeopleFinders blog is a great way to stay up to date about any COVID-19 news as it releases. Stay up to date with the News category, which includes all sorts of current events. This category can keep you in the loop about COVID-19 variants, mask and vaccine mandates, and much more happening in the United States and beyond.
Conclusion
COVID-19 is unfortunately still around, and the presence of variants is one of the reasons for that. Delta, the most prominent variant currently in the United States, is more transmissible than the non-variant COVID-19, and it’s one of the reasons it’s so important for people to get vaccinated. Stay up to date and learn more about staying safe with PeopleFinders.
Image Attribution: jarun011 – stock.adobe.com
