New COVID-19 Variants

Frequently Asked Questions about New COVID-19 Variants

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Why do new variants of COVID-19 keep appearing?

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Variants emerge as a result of naturally occurring mutations in viruses. For example, the flu virus mutates often, which is why doctors recommend a new flu vaccine each year.

Researchers monitor all COVID-19 variants but may classify certain ones, like Omicron and Delta, as “variants of concern.” This is determined by which variants spread more easily, cause more severe cases than other variants, or evade vaccine protection.

As long as COVID-19 spreads, mutations and new variants are expected to occur. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 variants is to stay up to date with vaccines. Being vaccinated decreases the likelihood you will get sick and makes it less likely you will need hospitalization or die if you get infected.

Updated November 22, 2023 

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Messaging Resources about New COVID-19 Variants

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Misinformation Alerts about New COVID-19 Variants

CDC’s updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendation stirs up controversy
June 27, 2024

In late June, the CDC recommended that people 6 months and older receive updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines in the fall. Vaccine opponents criticized the recommendation, arguing that the vaccines are unnecessary and unsafe. Recommendation: High Risk About Us The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) was developed in response to the urgent need for timely,

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Emerging group of “FLiRT” COVID-19 variants spurs online conversations
May 06, 2024

Based on early data, the emerging COVID-19 subvariant KP.2, a type of “FLiRT,” appears to be more infectious than the previously dominant JN.1 variant. Experts believe the variant may cause a rise in infections that will be less severe than previous surges. Although some social media users speculated that the variant may be tied to

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Viral image questions the validity of dangerous COVID-19 variants
April 14, 2024

A tech CEO posted a meme questioning what happened to all the “dangerous” COVID-19 variants. The heavily circulated image has been viewed over 69 million times. One post sharing the image claims that once mass COVID-19 vaccination ended, the virus stopped evolving, implying that officials only said variants were dangerous to get people vaccinated. Recommendation:

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