The Latest on Covid

The coronavirus is still hanging around, only now it has a new variant.

THE STORY: It’s been nearly a year and a half now of the covid pandemic and, unfortunately, it looks like it will be around for a while longer. Plus, the virus has changed so that we’re now dealing with what’s known as the delta variant. Here’s what you need to know.

THE COVID DELTA VARIANT: By now you’ve heard that the coronavirus has mutated into what is now known as the delta variant. Variants aren’t unusual for viruses; it’s what they do. In fact, there are other variants out there but the one that is predominant in the United States right now is delta.

The first thing to know about the delta variant is that it’s twice as contagious as the previous version of covid and unvaccinated people seem to be getting sicker with this variant than the other. Even vaccinated people can get it, BUT people who have been vaccinated against covid will typically only get mild symptoms or be asymptomatic as opposed to winding up in the hospital or dealing with long-term covid. Regardless of vaccination status, wearing a mask and continuing social distancing is a necessity. As it stands, places with low vaccination rates are once again seeing overrun hospitals and suffering from low supplies of essential items such as respirators. The delta variant also seems to be affecting children more often than the previous version.

Currently, many businesses are continuing their work from home programs to help stop the spread and some may begin to shut down again. This could result in continued shortages of items such as chips used in cars and video game systems, lumber, and more.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you haven’t already had the vaccine, that should be your first step. Other than that, keep staying home as often as you can, only going out for essentials. Alternatively, you can stay home and order essentials online. You can skip the grocery store entirely with Top Chef Meals and still stay on track with any health and wellness goals. For non-food items, you can order from a variety of places online such as Amazon, Target, and more.

THE ROUND-UP: While the pandemic continues to rage on, there are plenty of steps you can take to help mitigate its effects. From getting vaccinated to staying inside and ordering online, you can help stop the spread while keeping yourself and your family safe.