Today on In the Hive, a primer on coronavirus variants. Three variants of SARS-Cov-2 have drawn the attention of health officials because they may spread more easily or in some cases may be more deadly than the original. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the so-called UK Variant has now been detected in more than half of U.S. states including Utah, while the Brazilian variant has been found in Minnesota and the South African variant in Maryland and South Carolina. How do viruses mutate? And what should we be doing to protect ourselves? Dr. Stephen Goldstein, a post-doctoral researcher with the University of Utahs Department of Human Genetics says that all the same rules apply for trying to curb the spread of these versions of the virus. Goldstein also says the vaccines we have appear to build an immune response to these variants, which means there is, still, a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.

Guest:Dr. Stephen Goldstein, Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Utahs Dept. of Human Genetics

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Coronavirus variants, vaccines, and where the pandemic is headed - KCPW