The COVID-19 variant is spreading rapidly.Here’s what scientists know about them and why they need better masks:

All viruses mutate. SARS-CoV-2, the virus at the root of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been mutated in various ways since it first began to spread to humans in 2019, but some of these mutations are affected by the virus. It is changing the virus enough to change. People — at least until late 2020.

In the last few months, several variants resulting from mutations in the genetic makeup of the virus have raised concerns in the international scientific community. Among them is B.1.1.7, a strain that is causing the surge in hospitalizations and deaths in the United Kingdom. B.1.351, first detected in South Africa. And P.1 is currently booming in Brazil. last week, Researchers announced their findings Homemade California strain labeled B.1.426 or CAL.20C. I believe it may have contributed to the astonishing surge in the state, by Los Angeles Times..

What does this mean when the tired world enters its second year of pandemic? AAMC News We spoke with Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, Dean of School of Public Health, Brown University, and GigiGronvall, PhD, senior scholars at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. They provided expertise in what we know, but they are not. I know — about new variants.

Are the new variants more contagious?

Ja says it Evidence suggests The UK, South Africa, and Brazilian variants are about 50% more contagious than the strains common in the United States. Scientists are still studying the infectivity of California variants, but believe it is also more contagious. All variants have mutations in the peplomer that the virus uses to invade and infect human cells.

“That’s really a problem,” says Jha.

Do they cause more serious illness?

British officials said last week There is some preliminary evidence that the British variant is deadly, but researchers warned that data are still limited.

“We must assume that what is predominantly distributed in the UK is what is called pathogenicity, that is, the power of viruses that cause more damage, including death, has increased to some extent,” said Anthony of the country. Dr. Fauci said.He said on Sunday that he is an infectious disease expert and the president’s chief medical adviser. “Face the Nation.. “

Even if people generally do not get sick because of new strains, larger outbreaks can still result in higher deaths. The more people are infected, the more people become seriously ill and put more strain on the health care system already taxed by COVID-19.

Are the variants already widespread in the United States?

Subspecies from the United Kingdom have been detected in at least 20 US states. Fauci said on Sunday, And the first US case of a Brazilian variant Confirmed in Minnesota Monday..California researchers have discovered that the cause is a homemade strain About a quarter of the cases It is in a state. So far, no South African variants have been detected in the country, but few laboratories perform the tests necessary to identify various strains.

The· New York Times A U.S. laboratory reported that mutations were detected in only about 3,000 virus samples out of 1.4 million positive tests per week, as reported on January 6. It may have spread without.

“We haven’t done enough genomic sequencing,” says Jha. “We should do more.”

He explains that the United States has the ability to make broader sequencing, but lacks federal efforts to organize that effort. He hopes this will be significantly enhanced in the coming weeks.

“If we’re not looking for it, we don’t know what we’re dealing with,” says Gronnvall.

She explains that identification of variants is important for implementing containment strategies such as contact tracing and separation.

“This is the public health tool we need in the future,” she says. “It just expands as a field.”

At this point, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts British variants could become the dominant stock in the United States in March.

What does the new variant mean for existing precautions such as masking and social distance?

Experts say it’s time to double known public health measures.

“There are still tools to reduce this from becoming mainstream, and we need to be more rigorous about their use,” says Gronnvall. “Masking and field and social distance expansion continue to work.”

Gronvall has a high enough level of current community in many parts of the United States, even in the absence of more contagious variants, so everyone thinks about putting them around people outside the family. is needed. Medium to high risk activities such as eating out and air travel.

Jha said that two top priorities for policy makers in the coming weeks are to vaccinate as many people as possible and encourage everyone to wear high-quality masks. Stated.

“People really need to upgrade their masks,” he says. “We have this mental model that we have an N95 mask and everything else, but that’s not true.”

Jha recommends using the KF94 mask. This is a Korean-made mask that filters out 94% of the particles. This is slightly less than the N95 mask.They are Available on Amazon..

In other cases, it is advisable to double the cloth mask, especially in high-risk situations such as going to grocery stores, taking public transport, or going to potentially crowded places.

Is the vaccine still effective against new variants?

So far, the data suggest that the vaccine still produces immunity to new mutants.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in laboratory studies Equally effective About strains that are prevalent in the UK. And Moderna, which manufactures other vaccines currently approved in the United States, Said on monday The study shows that the vaccine is effective against both UK and South African variants, but from a relative perspective it is less effective against South African variants. The company is working on developing booster shots to enhance its defenses against this variant.

Jha says he fears that if the coronavirus continues to spread at the rate it is currently spreading, other variants will emerge that can further evade the vaccine.

The best way to prevent it from happening, and the best way to prevent the United States from being crushed by another surge when more contagious variants become more widespread, is to vaccinate as many weapons as possible. Is to inoculate.

Fauci reiterated at a White House briefing last Thursday that the vaccine would still help, even if it wasn’t very effective against the new variant. He added that the vaccine could be changed to accommodate changes in the virus as needed.

Can people with antibodies from a previous COVID-19 infection be re-infected with a new variant?

Experts are uncertain whether previous COVID-19 infections will protect against new variants. One study South African mutants suggest that antibodies from the more common COVID-19 strain may be evaded. This problem can also disable one promising treatment-the use of plasma from previously infected people to boost the immune response of sick people.

However, Jha states that scientists will need more clinical data to determine if an antibody is really ineffective with a new mutant.

“We still don’t know enough to worry,” he says.

Do new variants have different effects on children?

Initially, there were concerns that children might be more seriously affected by the new variants, says Gronnvall. Latest data It suggests that this is not the case.

What does the emergence of new variants mean to the scientific medicine community?

Gronvall states that it is important to ensure that the community is vaccinated and has taken precautions to prevent its spread. Otherwise, the already stressed healthcare system will be hit again.

“That’s not good news,” she says.

Jha wants academic medical institution leaders to be the voice of community clarity.

“They have a very important role to play in the community in helping people over the next few months,” he says. The message is, “Double public health measures. You don’t have to do this forever. It’s just a few months away.”