What’s going on with these COVID-19 mutations?

This story is part of Science Friday’s coverage of the novel coronavirus, the cure for COVID-19. Listen to how experts discuss the spread, response to the outbreak and treatment.

It’s a new year, and that means there’s a whole slew of new COVID-19 news to dive into, including an overwhelming amount of new information on vaccines and mutations.

The US has now administered about five million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, far behind the country’s goal of vaccinating 20 million by 2020. The two approved COVID-19 vaccines, one from Pfizer and one from Moderna, are intended to be given over the course of two doses. However, there is a discussion in the medical community about whether both doses are necessary for each patient.

Mutations are also a growing concern. Variants from the United Kingdom and South Africa relate to epidemiologists, and appear to be spreading. Although there is no evidence that both are more deadly, they can be more contagious.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security, is involved with Ira in Seattle, Washington.

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