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The Spread Of The Coronavirus Variant From The U.K. : Short Wave Different versions of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are emerging. Some are spreading quickly around the world, others more slowly — but several have the public health community and researchers worried because they are behaving differently than the older version of the coronavirus. Maddie talks with NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff about the coronavirus variant first identified in the UK in late 2020 — they discuss how big of a deal it is, how vaccines may be affected, and what needs to happen to slow its spread.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Short Wave

What The Spread Of Coronavirus Variants Means For The U.S.

What The Spread Of Coronavirus Variants Means For The U.S.

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Following the recent surge in cases including the new variant of Covid-19, the most recent lockdown in the United Kingdom advises all citizens to follow the message to stay at home, protect the hospital system and save lives. Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images hide caption

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Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

Following the recent surge in cases including the new variant of Covid-19, the most recent lockdown in the United Kingdom advises all citizens to follow the message to stay at home, protect the hospital system and save lives.

Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

Different versions of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are emerging. Some are spreading quickly around the world, others more slowly — but several have the public health community and researchers worried because they are behaving differently than the older version of the coronavirus. Maddie talks with NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff about the coronavirus variant first identified in the UK in late 2020 — they discuss how big of a deal it is, how vaccines may be affected, and what needs to happen to slow its spread.

Some of Michaeleen's recent reporting on variants:

Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests

Goats and Soda

Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests

CDC Warns New U.K. Coronavirus Variant Is Spreading Fast In The U.S.

Shots - Health News

CDC Warns New U.K. Coronavirus Variant Is Spreading Fast In The U.S.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramierez and edited by Gisele Grayson. Rasha Aridi and Ariela Zebede checked the facts. Josh Newell was the audio engineer.