There are many variants of the coronavirus circulating around the world, but health experts are particularly concerned about the emergence of three variants first discovered in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. They seem to spread more easily and research is underway to see if they cause more serious illness.
Because a virus infects humans, it can mutate by making copies of itself. Some mutations can harm a virus, causing it to die out. Others can provide an advantage and aid in the spread.
“Not every mutation is created equal,” said Mary Petrone, an infectious disease student at Yale University. “The virus will be lucky every now and then.”
Monitoring variants is important because of the potential that they could make vaccines and treatments less effective or change the way they infect humans.
A mutation at the start of the pandemic spread the virus around the world, but there have been no significant changes since then – until recently, said Ohio State University biologist Daniel Jones.
One of the three main variants that experts are looking at was discovered in the UK late last year and has since been found in dozens of countries. Health officials initially said it didn’t appear to cause worse illness, but newer information suggests this is possible – that’s still unknown at this point. It seems to spread more easily, which could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the variant could become dominant in the US in March.
Other variants first discovered in South Africa and Brazil also appear to be more contagious, experts say.
Data so far suggests that current vaccines should still protect against these variants, although there is some concern that their effectiveness may have been somewhat diminished. There is some evidence that some antibody treatments may be less effective against certain variants.
There are ways to modify vaccines and treatments to maintain their effectiveness, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert.
The emergence of variants is related to persistent spikes, as infections allow viruses to mutate and spread. It’s another reason why experts stress the importance of wearing masks and social detachment.
“The fewer people carry the virus, the fewer chances it has to mutate,” Jones said.
Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say about the three most worrisome variants:
- In the United Kingdom (UK), a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as 20I / 501Y.V1, VOC 202012/01 or B.1.1.7) has emerged with a large number of mutations. This variant has since been found in many countries around the world, including the United States (US). In January 2021, scientists from the UK reported evidence[1] this suggests that the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants. More studies are needed to confirm this finding. This variant was reported in the US at the end of December 2020.
- In South Africa, another variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as 20H / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351) emerged independently of B.1.1.7. This variant shares some mutations with B.1.1.7. Cases attributed to this variant have been detected in multiple countries outside of South Africa. This variant was reported in the US in late January 2021.
- In Brazil, a variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as P.1) emerged that was first identified in four travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at Haneda Airport outside Tokyo, Japan. This variant has 17 unique mutations, including three in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein. This variant was found in the US at the end of January 2021.