What to know about mu variant,
Health officials are closely watching a COVID-19 variant newly classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization. The variant, called “mu,” has a “constellation of mutations” that indicate it may be able to evade antibodies, according to the WHO, but more information is still needed about it. Here’s what we know so far about what the mu variant means for Oklahoma:
1. Is the mu variant here?
Yes, the mu variant has been detected in Oklahoma, according to state health officials. The first sample recorded in Oklahoma was in May. As of Sunday, the mu variant had been detected in 15 samples in Oklahoma, according to data from the state Health Department. It was found in Oklahoma County, Tulsa County, and the northwest, northeast, southeast and central regions of the state. So far, the mu variant isn’t spreading much in the U.S. — only accounting for about 0.1% of cases. In Colombia, it may be responsible for about 39% of cases, according to the Associated Press.
The delta variant is still the most prevalent variant spreading in the U.S. today, making up over 99% of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. A ‘variant of interest’
The World Health Organization in late August designated the mu variant, which was first identified in Colombia in January, as a “variant of interest.”
The designation is for variants of the virus that have genetic changes that may indicate increased transmissibility, greater severity of disease or mutations that could make it more likely to be resistant to immunity from vaccinations or previous infections.
It’s unclear yet whether it’s as contagious as the delta variant, which quickly took hold in Oklahoma and across the U.S. because of its increased transmissibility.
The concern with the mu variant is that it has so many mutations, it’s not clear whether antibodies produced through vaccination will work as well to protect against it, said Dr. Dale Bratzler, the chief COVID-19 officer for the University of Oklahoma.
“We just don’t know yet whether or not those patients will have hospitalization rates that are higher,” or higher death rates, Bratzler said.
3. How to protect yourself
The advice for staying safe from the mu variant of COVID-19 is the same advice health experts have offered for other variants, said Dr. Gitanjali Pai, Oklahoma’s chief medical officer.
Preliminary evidence suggests the mu variant could be able to evade antibodies, but more data is needed to support that conclusion, she said.
“Right now, we are finding that vaccines are still largely effective against variants with similar characteristics,” she said. The best ways to stay safe are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distancing, especially in crowded, indoor settings.
5. Could we see more variants in the future?
Unfortunately, yes, experts say. As long as there are parts of the world where COVID-19 is spreading unchecked, the virus will mutate, Bratzler said. “That’s what viruses do — they mutate when they replicate,” he said. “The way to stop mutations is to get more people vaccinated, so that the virus quits spreading.”
That’s why vaccination is key, even though some breakthrough cases may occur in vaccinated people, said Dr. Mary Clarke, the president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Getting a COVID-19 vaccination drastically reduces a person’s chance of getting hospitalized or dying if they contract the virus. It also reduces the spread of the virus, Clarke said. “When we’re talking about vaccines, we’re not just talking about trying to protect what we have. We’re trying to protect from developing new strains at the same time,” she said. “Yes, it’s good for us now, but we also expect it to be good for us down the road. But that’s only going to work if we have enough people vaccinated.”