Variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are on the rise in Oregon and across the United States. It’s important we remain vigilant to keep ourselves safe and reduce transmission of COVID-19.
Variants Most Dangerous to Those Unvaccinated
Variants of the virus are more contagious, spread faster, and may cause more severe illness. We continue to see a rise in preventable hospitalizations and deaths of people with COVID-19. Currently, 99.5% of COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. are among unvaccinated individuals.
Vaccines Stand Up Well to Variants
Not only are the current COVID-19 vaccines highly effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization, new research indicates they stand up well to the current variants circulating in the U.S.
Do Your Part to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
“Viruses don’t mutate if they can’t replicate, and you can prevent them from replicating by vaccinating enough people so that the virus has nowhere to go,” explains Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. There are many people, including young children, who are not able to get vaccinated. In order to stop the spread of these variants, it’s important that those who can get vaccinated do get vaccinated. In addition to getting vaccinated, the World Health Organization recommends wearing masks in high-risk settings such as large gatherings or in areas with low rates of vaccination.
Visit hrccovid19.org for more information on getting vaccinated. For more information on variants, visit the CDC’s page.