COVID-19 Variants and Vaccines

There are many questions swirling around the B-117 variant of COVID-19—also dubbed the UK variant—that has appeared in more than 30 countries including the United States. As of right now, Rhode Island has not identified a single case of the new variant on Wednesday, January 27. While it may come as a welcome update, public health officials in the state warn it is only a matter of time before it is detected. To understand this medical perspective, it is important to know that this strain was first detected late in 2020 and it quickly became the dominant strain in the United Kingdom. A few places across the United States have already detected this strain.Listen to this week’s episode with Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan as they define the meaning of a variant, and breakdown what it all means for vaccines. Tune in for a discussion that highlights the public health tools and strategies that will help protect Rhode Islanders in the coming months.