For months now, the threat of mutated COVID-19 strains has been hanging over our heads. They’re more transmissible, are affecting younger people, and are “associated with an increased risk of death” says the CDC. Some epidemiologists have warned that current vaccines may not be effective against these new strains due to the rate of the mutations.
Recently in Kentucky this crisis came to a head when an unvaccinated healthcare worker spread a mutated strain through a nursing home. The consequences were that over 20 vaccinated patients and workers tested positive for COVID-19, and dozens more who weren’t vaccinated. Two patients died from these infections.
This highlights the necessity of full and widespread vaccinations for everyone on this planet. Each day that goes by, the dividing line that separates those who can get the vaccine and those who cannot becomes bigger, resulting in more viral transmission, mutations and human casualties.
The WHO states that the vaccines give some amount of protection, but exactly how much is unknown. It’s likely that in the future, the population will need periodic booster shots to bridge the gap of protection. But first things first; we need to start with everyone receiving their first vaccine.
