Fighting Covid-19 Variants

The UK variant of covid-19 - also called b117- is not only more easily transmitted, it's also more deadly, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Friday.

We're now learning that the u?

"*k variant of covid?

"*19 * called b 1.1.7 ?

"* is not only more easily transmitted... it's also more deadly ?

"* according to dr. anthony fauci.

And more variants continue to emerge in the u?

"*s... like the brazil and south africa variants.

Kimt news 3's annalise johnson is speaking to olmsted county public health about how our greatest tool to fight these mutations ?

"* is quick and widespread vaccination.

Katie ?

"* amy ?

"* while the * variant has been confirmed in minnesota... it has not yet been detected here in olmsted county.

Although that doesn't necessarily mean it's not already here.

Olmsted county public health director graham briggs tells me handling these variants is a bit of a cat and mouse game... some of these variants may even outcompete each other for dominance.

Briggs says the best way we can stop the virus from replicating and making new versions of itself is by vaccinating as many people as quickly possible.

The faster that happens ?

"* the better off we'll be as a in infectious disease, every day is an opportunity to interrupt what's happening.

And every day you lose, it becomes harder and harder to stop because olmsted county public health and its partners have learned so much about covid?

"*19 over the last year*- briggs explains that they're now able to have an inkling of when something seems out of sorts about a particular cluster of cases.

They can then send a sample in to be sequenced to see if it is in fact a variant.

Live in rochester?

"* annalise thank you annalise.

If variants do start to work around our vaccines ?

"* briggs says that m?

"*r?

"*n?

"*a vac developers can very quickly alter the genetic code to adapt and stay ahead of the virus.

In that situation ?

"* we may need booster shots in the future to protect against whatever strains are