ROANOKE, Va. – As concerns grow over COVID-19 variants, a Carilion Clinic health expert says you should get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can because it can help stop the virus from mutating. Research suggests the UK variant could be about 30-40% more contagious than the original strain of the virus. Carilion Clinic’s Chair of Medicine, Dr. Paul Skolnik, said the current vaccines are effective, especially at preventing serious illness and hospitalization. “If we can tamp down the pandemic now and the original strain. He added that with variant strains spreading across the country, we should work harder to wear masks, avoid crowds, and social distance.

VIRGINIA – Just as the vaccine had given the health care world a leg up in the battle against COVID-19, mutant strains of the virus have emerged. “These newer variants have more changes and that’s why we’re starting to worry a little bit,” said Dr. Paul Skolnik, the chair of medicine at Carilion Clinic. We don’t know what a new variant could do,” said Dr. Christopher Lewis, Centra Health’s vice president of medical affairs. Lewis said the question is whether or not these variant strains could be more infectious or more dangerous. Lab tests have proven that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work to protect you from these new strains.