Health Female: Can We Expect More COVID-19 Variants?

Monday, December 20, 2021

Can We Expect More COVID-19 Variants?

By Stephanie Cornwell, Editorial Assistant

I'll admit it: I thought I was home free when I got my vaccine. But just as I was preparing my body for battle against any potential COVID-19 exposure, the virus was finding new ways to prepare for me.

Today's Top Story

Another Day, Another Variant

A virus's goal is to survive, reproduce, and spread. And as it spreads, it adapts to its environment and learns to evade a vaccine's attempts to squander it.

Some mutations don't affect the virus in ways that concern us, but selective advantages, such as increased transmissibility or the ability to resist vaccines, pose potential threats. As long as the virus can mutate, it will.

It's unlikely that Omicron will be the last COVID-19 variant of concern, but vaccines can help.

"Variants can develop in highly vaccinated populations as well as in less vaccinated populations," Arjun Venkatesh, MD, Yale Medicine Emergency Medicine physician and associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, told Verywell. "The difference is how well they spread and become a 'dominant variant,' which is difficult in highly vaccinated populations that give the virus less of a chance to transmit between people and become widespread."

We can't stop mutations, but we can improve global public health efforts.

Know More

Inequitable vaccine access may have contributed to the spread of Omicron. The WHO's goal was for countries to fully vaccinate 40% of their populations by the end of the year. The U.S. is being called on to accelerate global vaccination efforts through donations, grants, diplomatic means, and perhaps military support.

Feel Better

Getting your vaccine and booster shot helps fight the global threat of new variants.

Ask an Expert: How Can We Help Teens Posting About Self-harm?

Social media and its effect on the user's mental health have been a concern for many experts. A recent study looking at data from 2018 found that Instagram posts containing hashtags related to non-suicidal self-harm were on the rise. The increased exposure to self-harm behaviors, such as cutting or burning one's skin, can be dangerous. Experts worry that children will see this and think it is a healthy form of coping. Policy changes such as improved post flagging, warning pop-ups, and increased attention from parents and schools can help.

7 Healthy Foods to Eat This Holiday

Who said healthy couldn't taste good? We aren't asking you to throw away grandma's meatloaf recipe, but maybe add some mushrooms this year; they have a ton of nutrients and help regulate blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol levels. Instead of soda in those adult holiday drinks, use 100% orange juice for a little more vitamin C and a lot less added sugar. You can also give this to kids instead of soda. These small upgrades can keep your health on track during the holidays.

In an interview with Verywell, Mahdee Sobhanie, MD, an infectious diseases physician, said everyone needs to get vaccinated.

What we are seeing is that the vast majority of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated. Mutations are more likely to occur when COVID is allowed to replicate or make more copies of itself. One way to stop the spread and replication of COVID is to get vaccinated. The more shots in arms, the better protected we are.