What is the 'delta plus' variant of the coronavirus?

RHONDELLA AND JENNIFER,O TYOU? RHONDELLA: THANKS, A.J. DELTA PLUS IS NOW SPREADING IN 11 CNTOURIES RAISING NEW CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF T EFFICACY OF COVID VACCINES. JENNIFER: HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. RK SIEDNER, THE EPIDEMIOLOSTGI WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. HOW IS THE DTAEL PLUS VARIANT DIFFERENT AND IS IT MORE DANGEROUS? >> SO WE'RE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THIS AYT OR DELTA PLUS VARIANT. IT'S DEFINITELY ONE THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IS WATCHING. BUT I THINK WHAT PEOPLEHO SULD KNOW IS THAT AS LONG AS VACCINATION RATES ARE LOW PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,HE T VIRUS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD AND THESE VARIANTS WILL CONTINUE TO EMER. WE KNOW THAT THE PARENT VIRUS, THE DELTA VARIANT ITSELF, IS SPREADING IN MASSACHUSETTS. IT'S BEING SEEN IN 10-20% OF CASES CURRENTLY. IT'S CLEARLY MORE CONTAGIOUS AND APPEARS TO BE MORE SEVERE, PARTICULARLY IN YOUNG PEOPLE. SO FOR THOSE AMONG US WHO HAVE YET TO BE VACCINATED, I THINK ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNGER FOLKS, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE KEEPING YOUR EYES ON. RHONDELLA: OK. WE KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED MAY NOT GET THE SAME PROTECTION FROM COVID VACCINES. A W STUDY SUGGESTS A THIRD DOSE COULD BE THE ANSWER. WHAT DO YOU THINK AUTBO THAT? >> THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES AND THEY'VE BEEN REASSURI. NG IN THIS STY, ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS GOT A THIRD VACCINE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME SPECIFIC POPULATIONS WHO NEED MORE VACCINES THAN THE REST OF US. JENNIFER: IF THE PROTECTION IS BETTER WITH A THIRD DOSE, AT LEAST IN SOME CASES, WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE GET ONE OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE TOO MUCH VACCINES? >> SO THE FLIP SIDE HERE, IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF US, OVER 90% OF US, CLEARLY, THE CURRENT VACCINES ARE WORKING. WE'VE SEEN THAT IN CLINICAL TRIALS AND REAL-WORLD DATA. THESE VACCINES ARE PREVENTING 90-100% OF DEATHS. ALTHOUGH BOOSTERS MAY BE NEEDED OR IMMUNITY WANES,OR NOW, THESE VACCINES ARE WORKING. NOT MUCH ADVANTA TO GET A THIRD DOSE ESPECIALLY WITH GLOBAL SHORTES OF THE VACCINES. RHONDELLA: THIS TRSHUDAY REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE VAXMILLIONS GETAWA Y. >> WE'RE LEARNING THERE'S A WEID RANGOFE REASONS PEOPLE DON'T GET VACCINATED. HOPEFULLY INFORMATION SESSIONS LIKE THESE WILL HELP ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME ACCESSING VACCINES FOR WORK SCHEDULES OR CHILD CARE SCHEDUS.LE IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT VAX BUS OR THE OTHER PROGRAMS IN MASSACHUSETTS TO ADDRESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THESE CHALLENGES. THERE ARE JUST SOME WHO NEED AN EXTRA NUDGE. IN MASSACHUSETTS AND OTHER STATES THERERE A A MILLION MORE NUDGES FOR THOSE WHO NEED THAT. HOPEFUYLL THIS WILL GET MORE PEOPLE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. JENNIFER: THE NUMBERS TICK UP. DR. MARK SIED

What is the "delta plus" variant?It's a relative of the delta variant, identified by British scientists last month.Because it isn't a variant of interest or concern, it has not yet been officially named after a letter of the Greek alphabet, like the other worrisome variants. Scientists are monitoring the delta-related variant �� known as AY.4.2. �� to see if it might spread more easily or be more deadly than previous versions of the coronavirus. In a recent report, U.K. officials said this variant makes up 6% of all analyzed COVID-19 cases in the country and is "on an increasing trajectory." The variant has two mutations in the spike protein, which helps the coronavirus invade the body's cells. These changes have also been seen in other versions of the virus since the pandemic started, but haven't gone very far, Francois Balloux, director of the Genetics Institute at University College London.The delta variant remains "by far the most dominant variant in terms of global circulation" said Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's technical lead on COVID-19, at a public session this week. "Delta is dominant, but delta is evolving," she said, adding that the more the virus circulates, the greater chances it has to mutate. The U.N. health agency is currently tracking 20 variations of the delta variant. The AY.4.2 is "one to watch because we have to continuously keep an eye on how this virus is changing," said Van Kerkhove.In the U.S., the delta variant accounts for nearly all COVID-19 cases. The newer "delta plus" variant has been spotted "on occasion," but it's not yet a concern, health officials said.

What is the "delta plus" variant?

It's a relative of the delta variant, identified by British scientists last month.

Because it isn't a variant of interest or concern, it has not yet been officially named after a letter of the Greek alphabet, like the other worrisome variants.

Scientists are monitoring the delta-related variant �� known as AY.4.2. �� to see if it might spread more easily or be more deadly than previous versions of the coronavirus. In a recent report, U.K. officials said this variant makes up 6% of all analyzed COVID-19 cases in the country and is "on an increasing trajectory."

The variant has two mutations in the spike protein, which helps the coronavirus invade the body's cells. These changes have also been seen in other versions of the virus since the pandemic started, but haven't gone very far, Francois Balloux, director of the Genetics Institute at University College London.

The delta variant remains "by far the most dominant variant in terms of global circulation" said Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's technical lead on COVID-19, at a public session this week.

"Delta is dominant, but delta is evolving," she said, adding that the more the virus circulates, the greater chances it has to mutate.

The U.N. health agency is currently tracking 20 variations of the delta variant. The AY.4.2 is "one to watch because we have to continuously keep an eye on how this virus is changing," said Van Kerkhove.

In the U.S., the delta variant accounts for nearly all COVID-19 cases. The newer "delta plus" variant has been spotted "on occasion," but it's not yet a concern, health officials said.

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What is the 'delta plus' variant of the coronavirus?

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