Infectious Disease Specialist Explains How COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Against New Variants

A new COVID-19 strain is making its way around the world called Mu.

The state health department is trying to provide some answers about how the vaccine protects against these new mutations.

News 9 talked with an infectious disease specialist, and she said the answer is simple, she says the more chances the virus has to spread and multiply, the more chances it has to mutate into new variants.

Dr. Gitanjali Pai said as more people get vaccinated, it makes it more difficult for the virus to spread and mutate.

She said according to research so far, the vaccines available seem to be a good defense against all of the variants popping up, including the delta variant.

"The current vaccines appear to be largely effective against all of the variants that we have so far. Evidence does continue to indicate against severe illness, including hospitalization and death," says Dr. Pai

When you get the vaccine, there is still a chance that you can get COVID-19, but it does bring down your chances and your risk for severe symptoms.

As far as if the COVID-19 vaccine will be something we need to get every year or just one and done. Dr. Pai said that research is happening right now.