ABC of COVID-19 Variants
This is all you need to know about the variants of COVID-19 and, above all, the Epsilon variant, which is generating concern around the world.
Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has closely monitored the variants that are emerging around the world, counting 11 variants so far. Photo: Pixabay
LatinAmerican Post | Vanesa López Romero
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Leer en español: ABC de las variantes del COVID-19
In recent days, the Epsilon variant of COVID-19 has made headlines around the world, due to a recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine and published in the journal Science , which ensures that it is resistant to vaccines. According to the study, this variant has three mutations that reduce the potency of antibodies produced by the pharmaceuticals.
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Epsilon is not the only variant of COVID-19. Viruses are known to change over time and, although these may not affect the virus at all, there could be changes that influence the properties of the virus , such as its spread, the severity of the disease or its vaccine resistance. Taking this into account, since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has closely monitored the variants that are emerging around the world, counting 11 variants so far. They have also designated names based on the letters of the Greek alphabet for these and have divided them into two groups: of interest and of concern.
Let's learn more about the variants of the coronavirus: