How many COVID variants are there?
There are many different strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus present in 2023. As genetic changes occur over time, the virus that causes COVID-19 starts to form genetic lineages. A lineage is a group of closely related pathogens with a common ancestor. With so many strains out there, coronavirus can be mapped out similarly to a family tree.
Four years into the virus, there are now more than 26 COVID strains, with four major variants: Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron. Some of these have multiple subvariants, each with their name.
Alpha
From all COVID variants, Alpha seems to have been only slightly more infectious than the original strain, though it did cause a more serious disease. It contained a variant called B.1.1.7 that caused more hospitalizations and overall developed a more severe illness.
Alpha circulated from late 2020 to late 2021 before it was defeated by Delta and then Omicron. The vaccines available on the market right now are effective against it.
Compared to other COVID variants, Alpha was less contagious and is not currently circulating. Infectious disease specialists explain that protection in people hasn’t been tested for the older variants and the new vaccines because it’s not like experts can intentionally give people coronavirus. Also, those COVID variants aren’t circulating.
For those who were exposed to or vaccinated against older variants, getting the shot against new variants also helps increase those older responses and should provide protection, experts say.
