Variants Add New Urgency to Precautions

Variants of COVID-19 are popping up all over the world. Just a few weeks ago, on January 7, we published what we knew so far. The variants spread more easily than the COVID-19 virus we are most familiar with and that, while there is no evidence that these variants cause more severe illness or increased risk of death, more spread will likely increase in the number of cases, which are likely to increase hospitalizations and deaths. 

Since then, a new variant from Brazil was identified among Brazilian travelers in Japan. This one, while it has not yet been found in the United States yet, is the most concerning. Unlike the others, it contains a set of additional mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by the antibodies produced through vaccination.

Given that news you may find it necessary to take a deep breath. Scientists are working hard to understand every detail about the new variants, as they arise. And there is a lot that we can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in whatever form it takes.

Get vaccinated. That’s right. Registrations for vaccinations for members of the public are beginning to open up. In Vermont, if you are 75 or older and live in Vermont, work in Vermont, or see a Vermont primary care provider, you can register for a vaccine appointment. This is so important, because the sooner most people get vaccinated the fewer opportunities the virus will have to morph.

Don’t gather with others or leave home for other than essential reasons. If you have eased up at all on your precautions, started to get together with others once in a while, now is the time to reign that socializing back in. Given the increased transmissibility, socializing of any kind, indoors or out, with masks or without, is not advised at this time.

When you must go out for essential reasons:

• Wear a mask. Wear your mask over both your mouth and nose for the entire duration of your public appearance and any time you are with people outside your household, including people you see every day, like co-workers. 
• Stay away from others. Use the floor decals and aisle directions to put at least 6 feet of space between yourself and other shoppers.
• And keep it brief. Plan your visits into public areas to limit trips and avoid busy times. Order online and pick up in the parking lot. If you must go in to a store, get in and out as quickly as possible.

Here in Vermont, we are not doing a lot of the very intense and time-consuming testing necessary to determine whether or not the new variants are here. Given their spread-ability, we are guessing that the UK variant is here and the others are on their way. Behaving as if the new variants are already here in Vermont and doing everything we can will help us limit the spread COVID-19 in whatever form it takes next.

Marie George, MD, FIDSA, is an infectious disease specialist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.