How Worried Should New Hampshire Be About COVID-19 Variants?

During the Summer months, we have learned by our experience in the Summer of 2020, the COVID-19 virus is definitely a cold-weather one. That, and the fact that we are getting vaccinated, is in most cases, getting our lives back to normal. However, there is still much information about the virus coming our way every day.

We Have Been Hearing More and More About Variants

It seems like every time we turn on the television, we hear about COVID-19 variants in other parts of the world. If you are like me, you might be holding your breath, praying that it doesn't shut down our lives as it did just a few short weeks ago.

Although no one can answer the question of how worried we should or shouldn't be, the numbers of variant COVID-19 cases here in NH remain low.

Here are the number of cases as of today, July 22, 2021 of the COVID-19 Variants identified here in New Hampshire, according to NH.Gov:

B.1.1.7 - Alpha - 1143 - Concern: Most common variant and linked with surges in young people

B.1.351 - Beta - 1 - Concern: It spread quickly through South Africa

P.1 - Gamma - 181 - Concern: More contagious than other variants. First identified in Brazil.

B.1.617.2 - Delta - 21 - Concern: It is more contagious than the other strains. First identified in India in December. According to Yale Medicine, it is predicted to be the dominant strain in the U.S.:

Toward the end of June, Delta had already made up more than 20% of cases in the U.S...... That number is rising swiftly, prompting predictions that the strain will soon become the dominant variant here.

Update: C.37 - Lambda - 0 Cases here in NH. First discovered in Peru

Fully Vaccinated People Have Developed the Virus

Lately, you may have been hearing about "Breakthrough" infections which mean fully vaccinated people have tested positive for COVID-19. Testing positive for the virus and getting sick are two different things, according to a report from NBCnews. With the vaccine, you may not even develop symptoms.