LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — New strains of COVID-19 are currently impacting countries around the world.
But should we be concerned?
Dr. Daniel Rhoads, a microbiologist with the Cleveland Clinic, says viruses mutate randomly all the time and scientists have been expecting this.
In the case of COVID-19, the virus mutated so the new strain can now latch onto our cells more effectively.
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However, once someone is infected, the virus behaves the same as we've come to expect.
The good news is testing tools still identify these new strains.
"These new variants can still be detected with our current methods of detection. So, that's one thing that should be reassuring is that we can still detect these variants just like we've been able to detect the original strains." Dr. Rhoads said.
Currently, scientists say they have no data to show the mutations have any impact on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
