The sudden spike of COVID-19 cases in India has been quite alarming and prompting the government to reimpose a lockdown, especially in states like Maharashtra. Amidst such a tumultuous situation where India expects a second wave of COVID-19, it is essential to understand the differences between the SARS-CoV-2 variants. It is well known that RNA viruses mutate frequently and evolve to survive in the host environment. Lately, three variants of the original SARS-CoV-2 have been reported.
Following are some of the important facts about the three variants. Table1: Novel Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Source: CDC article on SARS-CoV-2 variants As per the UK-based New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG), the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death than other variants; more research is needed to confirm the findings. The variant B.1.351 emerged…
