TAMPA, Fla. — Experts are closely watching variants. So, we wanted to give you a sharper insight into one that's been discovered in India.
10 Tampa Bay talked with Dr. Jill Roberts about this variant. She's a molecular epidemiologist at USF Health.
Roberts says it's a double mutant, meaning these two mutations have been seen elsewhere - one in South African and one in Denmark. When you have these mutations together, she says the concern is the biological effect.
"These two mutations have been linked to increase in infection and have been linked to increase in virulence, meaning more likely to cause severe disease. The real concern here is, is there a strain out there now found in India that can actually cause more severe disease and spread faster," says Dr. Roberts.
Studies will now look at whether the vaccines can protect against it.
While Dr. Roberts says this mutation isn't surprising, it's unfortunate.
These mutations cannot occur if the virus can't spread, which is why we have to continue to take steps to stop the spread, like wear masks and social distance.
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