Dr. Melanie Swift: COVID-19 vaccine urgency as delta variant continues to spread

Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of viruses are expected to occur. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented, including a highly transmittable form of COVID-19 known as the delta variant.

The delta variant, which was first seen in December 2020 in India, is spreading globally. It's more contagious than the previous strains that have been detected in the U.S. It's also causing more severe illness.

Dr. Melanie Swift, co-chair of Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation and Distribution Work Group, says now is the time to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
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