Vaccination against COVID-19 is now made all the more important due to the emergence of multiple new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. All viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus will occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented globally and in the United States during this pandemic.

Public health experts suggest that these variants seem to spread more easily, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on our healthcare system, lead to more hospitalizations, and more deaths.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), studies presently suggest that the antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants. Read more from the CDC about vaccination against COVID-19 and variants here.

More research is needed to monitor the spread of new variants and how these variants may affect the course of COVID-19 disease in people who get infected with the new variants, and also how these variants might impact the effectiveness of existing diagnostic devices, therapies, and vaccines.

In the meantime, experts are encouraging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible, which will help decrease COVID-19 infection in our communities and, therefore, help to turn back the public health threat posed by the emergence of additional variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

To learn more about the vaccines that are presently authorized for use in the United States, as well as those that are still being studied in clinical trials, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website here: COVID-19 Vaccines. Also, visit CDC’s website to review the most frequently asked questions about the new vaccines here: Vaccine FAQs.

To learn more about getting your COVID-19 vaccine, click here.