Why so many Covid-19 variants are showing up now

And what that tells us about the pandemic.

Like any virus, SARS-CoV-2 has been mutating constantly since the beginning of the pandemic. Until November of 2020, though, that didn’t seem to matter. That’s when scientists in the United Kingdom noticed an alarming change: The virus had mutated in a way that made it more transmissible. Within a month, similar reports were emerging from places around the world. Suddenly, it seemed the virus was changing at an alarming rate.

SARS-CoV-2 hasn’t actually been mutating faster, though. Instead, by letting it spread around the world, we’ve just given it more and more opportunities to mutate as it replicates. The result is that, after countless random mutations, there are signs that the virus is beginning to adapt to our natural defenses. And because it’s completely normal for a virus to change over time, we shouldn’t expect it to stop. The only real way to stop those changes is to stop giving the virus so many opportunities.

Read more coverage from Vox on Covid-19 variants:

Data on Covid-19 cases and vaccination rates:

Interactive data on the SARS-CoV-2 genome:

More on the variants:

[astro_nomical]

This is like watching a movie/documentary but you're in it

[dev_apostle]

Why can’t they make learning science like this for all students ? We would all get into it then. This was a great breakdown

[mercyawaking]

The visual is absolutely stunning Tip to the editing team

[almightyme]

"If Covid has found the time to become a new version of itself. So can you."

[napoleonibonaparte]

Plague Inc. is no longer a game… it’s education.

[kelliv]

Chances are good that those of us watching this video aren’t actually the ones who need to see it…

[MC-]

Im waiting for Covid-19 Max Pro Ultra Plus Premium Full Version.

[chinmia]

"The vaccines we have still protect against all the variants"

Delta: And I took that personally

[WAZA.A]

This living in a major historical event thing is a little depressing

[SkepticalChris]

anyone who understands the principles of evolutionary biology, even at a high school level knows that this is hardly a surprise.

The more covid spreads the more it reproduces, the more it reproduces the more likely mutations will occur, the more mutations means more variants.

[sanjuanito]

“It’s not a bug, it’s a feature”


-Viruses when mutation occurs

[SusmitaPanda]

Vaccines protect against covid

Delta:-I took it personally

Omicron:-I took it as a challenge!

[Jose-Luis.Garnica-Sanchez]

Ppl that aren't taking the pandemic seriously obviously have never played plague, Inc before

[alugrof]

"The virus has evolved. But it hasn't morphed into something unrecognizable."

Please don't give it ideas...

[gino]

When you're losing so you spam genetic reshuffle and drug resistance

[potatoRad]

Can’t stop thinking how good life be without COVID and I feel like having a grudge to whoever made it break out

[deadly]

Never should have played plague inc, Its more horrifying now.

[daftwod]

I noticed that i was getting less scared, so im glad these variants arrived to keep me in constant fear.

[illuminutty]

"the virus is not actively making decisions..."
me, playing Plague, Inc.: yeah, I want you to think that way...

[MrJingles]

Imagine a life without covid it would be amazing