Experts are constantly working to figure out which variants we should focus on and how they change how we combat COVID-19. Here's what to know about the variants of concern:
First detected in March, the delta variant is now the predominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.delta variant as one of its “variants of concern” on June 15. According to the CDC, VOCs can be more contagious, more dangerous, less susceptible to available treatments or harder to detect.
“We’re not just dealing with one virus, we’re dealing with a lot of viruses. Because there’s been uncontrolled replication around the world for the last year and a half, we’ve created variants beyond variants," said Dr. Todd Ellerin, ABC News medical contributor and Director of Infectious Diseases at South Shore Health.Healthcare workers are seen inside the Covid Intensive Care Unit in North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, Louisiana, Aug. 13, 2021.
While beta made up a minority of infections in early 2021, currently, there are now few, if any, documented cases of the beta variant in the U.S.The gamma variant was identified in Japan in four travelers arriving from Brazil in November 2020, and was found in the U.S. in January 2021. Despite the current spread in Brazil, it only accounts for 1% of infections in the U.S.
“The delta variant is clearly the most contagious variant we’ve dealt with,” Ellerin said. “You ultimately have survival of the fittest … the more ‘fit’ viruses, those with a replication advantage, ultimately win out. Currently, that’s what we’re facing with delta.”
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