Much has been said about new variants of COVID-19. To date, scientists have identified more than 4,000 variants of COVID-19 in the past year. Some of these strains, including the one native to the UK known as B.1.1.7, appear to be more infectious than other variants. Another strain, a variant first identified in South Africa (called 501Y.V2), has mutations in the so-called spike protein that prevent vaccine developers. Moderna has already found that its vaccine is slightly less effective against the South African variant.
Nationwide, although cases of COVID-19 appear to be on the decline, the majority of the United States still experiences high levels of coronavirus infections overall. As researchers and public health officials have pointed out, the more we allow COVID-19 to spread, the more likely the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes the disease) to grow. And the more the virus mutates, the more likely it is to escape one of our vaccines. So here’s what you can do right now to protect yourself from getting a new variant of COVID-19.
Wear a suitable mask and duplicate it if necessary
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It has been almost a year since the pandemic began and several well-conducted studies show it is clear that face masks are a key and effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At the start of the pandemic, medical grade face coverings, such as surgical and N95-certified masks, were in short supply, leading to the explosion of homemade and store-bought fabric masks.
Studies show that the best masks are the ones that are properly fitted with the least amount of space and are multi-layered. According to a recent study (published online and pending peer review), the most effective mask has three layers: A filter that has a layer of fabric on each side. As we reported earlier, a pro tip is to look at the mask in bright light. If the light cannot easily penetrate through the mask, it is probably effective.
The pre-print study also confirmed what other researchers found: that you don’t necessarily need an N95 mask (or similar masks that block a high percentage of viral particles, such as KN95 and KF94) to obtain adequate protection. In terms of viral particle filtration, in the United States, N95 masks are the gold standard. But at the moment, they’re hard to find, often expensive, and should be a priority for healthcare professionals. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t wear an N95 mask if you have one, but it’s been proven that you can get enough protection by duplicating cloth masks.
When to double the mask
If the masks you own aren’t up to the task (they are single-layered or fail the light test) and you don’t want to buy new ones, you can (and should) duplicate your skins. A new trend is to duplicate two effective multi-layered masks as well, such as wearing a surgical mask under a fabric mask or even an N95 certified mask under a fabric mask. A well-equipped N95 should offer superior protection. But the study shows that doubling up with two high-quality multi-layer masks can provide almost as good protection as an N95 mask.
If you follow proper social distancing measures, don’t spend time indoors with people you don’t live with, and wash your hands, a multi-layered fabric mask should be enough. But if you want extra protection, like if you have to go to a grocery store, take public transport, or visit your doctor in person, doubling down is an effective way to ensure good coverage.
Maintain social distance
I know this advice sounds tiring, but it is crucial. We’re really in the last few miles of a scary marathon here – the home stretch. By tracking your social distances, washing your hands and wearing masks, you’ll thank them later. It can be difficult during the winter months when it is more difficult to gather outside, but these actions will accomplish three important things: prevent you from contracting COVID-19 now, reduce the strain on the system and increase the chances that the vaccines in preparation will now be effective against the virus.
Let us analyze this last point. As the Director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci has pointed out, the longer COVID-19 remains unchecked, the more likely it is to mutate. Although all mutations are normal and most are relatively harmless, some changes can alter the structure and function of the virus so that the vaccines currently available to us are less effective. In fact, the two vaccines licensed in the United States (Moderna and Pfizer) have been shown to be slightly less effective against the variant in South Africa. At a press conference on Friday, Fauci said the news should be a warning to all of us.
“It really is a wake-up call to be nimble and adaptable because this virus will continue to evolve and mutate for sure.” Said Fauci.
The bottom line is that the more we follow best public health practices in a pandemic, the better off we’ll be in the long run.
Get vaccinated when a vaccine is available
Ultimately, vaccines will be our way out of this pandemic. And while the vaccination efforts in the United States got off to a rocky start, they are slowly on track. So when a vaccine is available, don’t hesitate to get it.
It is also important to be concerned about the safety of vaccines. So here’s the latest update: As we reported, approximately 22 million people in the United States have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and while it is still early days, no long-term side effects have been reported. Of the 9,000 people who reported a side effect, which is well under 1% of those vaccinated, most of these reports were for fatigue, nausea, chills and headaches. And of the 1,000 who had what is considered a serious side effect, all of these people were treated successfully.
Another key point is that the vaccines we currently have are very effective, between 94 and 95 percent effective against the virus, based on advanced clinical trials. What’s more, vaccines are almost 100% effective in preventing severe COVID-19, which is an often underestimated component. The severe illness of COVID-19, which often results in hospitalization and even long-term debilitating effects on patients, is also putting great strain on the healthcare system. Getting vaccinated could essentially wipe out serious COVID-19 completely, the benefits of which would be enormous.