Straight Talk on New Strains of COVID-19

The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine researchers discovered two new coronavirus variants which originated in the United States, WLNE-TV reports.

The first variant, which was identified at the medical center, carries a mutation identical to the United Kingdom strain which is currently detected in 11 U.S. states.

The second strain originated in Columbus, Ohio and has become the dominant virus as it has led to several outbreaks in a three-week period from late December to early January. It is thought to be more infectious as it is an “evolving strain with three new mutations,” according to authors of the study published in BioRxiv which have named it COH.20G/501Y.

Learn more about these strains in the latest Straight Talk! episode featuring an explanation from Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council^TM (GBAC), a Division of ISSA.

Then check out a library of Straight Talk! episodes on a variety of cleaning and restoration industry topics.