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News Articles: variant

An electron microscope image shows a SARS-CoV-2 particle isolated in the early days of the pandemic. It's been nearly a year since omicron was first detected, and scientists say this branch of the coronavirus family tree is still thriving.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity

SARS-CoV-2 is evolving "rapidly," spawning one new variant after another. But omicron continues to dominate, raising new questions about how evolution of the virus is headed.

October 25, 2022
|
By:
  • Rob Stein
PBS NewsHour Weekend COVID-19 boosters shots ‘a tough balance’ for FDA, epidemiologists say

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Coronavirus variant-specific boosters will soon be available in Georgia. Here's who needs a shot

The Food and Drug Administration earlier this week authorized the updated Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots. The endorsement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came Thursday, hours after advisers to the CDC voted to recommend reformulated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.

September 02, 2022
|
By:
  • Ellen Eldridge
An illustration of questions marks combined with the COVID-19 virus.

Tagged as: 

  • Politics

Political Rewind: More than two years later, where do we stand with COVID? And what comes next?

Wednesday on Political Rewind: Dr. Carlos Del Rio, Dr. Amber Schmidtke, and GPB's own Ellen Eldridge joined the panel for a conversation on the most pressing questions about Covid-19 at the current stage of the pandemic. Who should get another booster? When should you be wearing masks? What lessons can the past two years teach us about public health?

April 06, 2022
|
By:
  • Bill Nigut ,
  • Natalie Mendenhall ,
  • and 1 more

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

Omicron may be less severe in South Africa. That may not be the case for the U.S.

Researchers in South Africa have found that people infected with omicron, on average, are less likely to end up in the hospital. But the variant may act differently here in the U.S.

December 17, 2021
|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff and
  • Daniel Wood
Here's a computer-generated image of the omicron variant of the coronavirus — also known as B.1.1.529. Reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, this variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning.

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

Studies suggest sharp drop in vaccine protection vs. omicron — yet cause for optimism

In small studies in South Africa and in Germany, the results indicate a marked decrease in the ability of vaccines to neutralize this variant. But there are other findings that are encouraging.

December 08, 2021
|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff
Here's a computer-generated image of the omicron variant of the coronavirus — also known as B.1.1.529. Reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, this variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning.

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

The mystery of where omicron came from — and why it matters

How did this new strain of the coronavirus evolve? Researchers are investigating various possibilities. One leading theory involves ... just one person.

December 03, 2021
|
By:
  • Nurith Aizenman
A registered nurse administers the COVID-19 vaccine at a high school gym in Corona, California. Scientists are trying to determine if vaccines (and boosters) will offer protection against the newly identified omicron variant.

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

Scientists race to answer the question: Will vaccines protect us against omicron?

There's serious concern about the effectiveness of vaccines against the omicron strain. But there's also reason to be hopeful — especially for those who've had a booster.

December 02, 2021
|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff
The Delta variant, or B.1.617.2, is now the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.K. and is causing surges of COVID-19 in parts of the country.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

The Highly Contagious Delta Variant Is On The Rise In The U.S.

The variant accounts for more than 6% of all infections in the U.S. and in some Western states is responsible for more than 18% of cases.

June 09, 2021
|
By:
  • Jane Greenhalgh
People wait at an exit gate at the Kolkata Airport Terminal. International air travel to and from India has been restricted as the country battles a catastrophic COVID-19 surge.

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

Trapped By India Travel Bans: Workers, Expats, Families ... An Aussie Cricket Team

Mounting COVID-19 travel restrictions are meant to contain the Indian variant. But citizens and visitors alike are feeling frustrated.

May 04, 2021
|
By:
  • Kamala Thiagarajan
Like all viruses, the coronavirus mutates. Above: In this depiction of the the South African coronavirus variant B.1.531, the thin yellow band around the rim of indicates a mutation site. The virus spike (red) is attaching to a human cell receptor (blue).

Tagged as: 

  • Science

People Are Talking About A 'Double Mutant' Variant In India. What Does That Mean?

The term is a reference to two particular mutations in SARS-CoV-2. But the variant in India could carry additional mutations.

April 24, 2021
|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff
A Walgreens pharmacist prepares a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Three Known COVID-19 Variants Found Across Georgia

Hundreds of cases of COVID-19 variants first seen in the United Kingdom have been found in Georgia. Additionally, the state has confirmed variants from South Africa and Brazil.

March 25, 2021
|
By:
  • Ellen Eldridge
Dr. Colleen Kraft holds a stuffed coronavirus.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

'Any Transmission We Can Stop Will Help' Against Virus Variants, Disease Expert Says

SARS-CoV-2 variants are in the United States and Georgia's health department reports at least six cases of the recent variant that appears more transmissible. An infectious disease expert with Emory University says wearing masks will help.

"We have within our own personal responsibility, we have the tools to be able to minimize transmission and eliminate it," Dr. Colleen Kraft said.

January 28, 2021
|
By:
  • Ellen Eldridge
Workers check oxygen tanks at a hospital in Manaus, Brazil. Severe oxygen shortages as a second coronavirus wave is surging have prompted local authorities to airlift patients to other parts of Brazil.

Tagged as: 

  • Global Health

Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests

The variant in Brazil is causing a surge in Manaus, a city where the virus previously infected huge numbers in the spring of 2020. Researchers are trying to determine why.

January 21, 2021
|
By:
  • Michaeleen Doucleff

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Georgia's First Reported Case Of COVID-19 Variant Detected In 18-Year-Old

The virus variant is "significantly more contagious" than the SARS-CoV-2 virus, state health officials say. So far, there is no evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant causes more severe illness or increased risk of death.

January 05, 2021
|
By:
  • Ellen Eldridge
Ambulances are parked outside the NHS Nightingale hospital at the ExCeL center in east London on Friday. Hospitals in the U.K. are preparing for an influx of patients as the coronavirus continues to spread.

Tagged as: 

  • World

U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 350,000

Health care workers are bracing for a deadly January, and President-elect Joe Biden cautioned that "the next few weeks and months are going to be very tough."

January 03, 2021
|
By:
  • Matthew S. Schwartz
  • Load More

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