National Geographic - USA (2022-01)

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Mu

Lambda

Iota

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Delta

Feb 2021 Apr Jun Aug Oct

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Variants

of interest

Alpha

Beta 100%

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BY MANUEL CANALES

AND PATRICIA HEALY

Early 2021 brought a glimpse of normal life as

COVID-19 vaccines began to be administered. But a

new threat was starting to emerge. Slight changes

to the virus’s genetic code were steering the

pandemic in even more dangerous directions.

INFECTION AND

INEQUITY AROUND

THE WORLD

Vaccine equity

Lower income countries, facing

challenges getting and distrib-

uting vaccines, have lower

vaccination rates. Until most

of the world is immune, public

health measures such as testing

and masking will remain vital.

Contagion

All viruses replicate. Some are

highly transmissible, having

evolved efficient methods to

spread. Human behavior also

contributes to local and travel-

related transmission.

ORIGINAL STRAIN

DELTA VARIANT

SHARE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE

RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE

68%

63

31

2

High-income countries

Upper middle

Lower middle

Low

6 BILLION

VACCINE

SHOTS

GIVEN

Cooperative global efforts are

under way to distribute vaccines

more equitably and to boost this

number much higher in 2022.

The Delta variant

accounts for nearly

all new infections.

DATA THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2021

Some mutations give

the virus no advantage;

others lead to more

severe illness. They

can also make the virus

more infectious and bet-

ter at evading immunity.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

Threat to public health

VARIANTS OF INTEREST

Risk to public health

VARIANTS UNDER MONITORING

Potential risk to public health