The COVID-19 Variants: What We Know So Far
What are the implications of the global emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in terms of disease severity and vaccine and treatment efficacy?
As 2021 opens there are multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus circulating worldwide. Virus mutation is expected and scientists on every continent have been monitoring changes in the virus since its appearance in China late in 2019.
In the short slide show below, we address the ongoing questions about the transmissibility of the variants, their ability to induce more severe disease, whether they are detectable using current testing methods, and importantly, whether the current FDA-approved vaccines will protect against them. Included are statements from leading public health agencies and the vaccine manufacturers.
