Top infectious disease experts with Mayo Clinic weigh in on COVID-19 variants

Some of Mayo Clinic’s top infectious disease experts say it’s becoming more likely COVID-19 will never be completely eliminated. The virus is continuing to mutate into different strains, and Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group stated to KAUS News during a recent conference call that wearing a mask and social distancing are two critical tools almost as great as a vaccine in battling the virus and its variants…

Dr. William Morice II, president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories and chair of the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic stated that continued testing is vital to combatting COVID-19 and its variants, and he added that providing the vaccine globally will also be critical in combating the virus and bringing an end to the pandemic…

So far 18 cases of the B.1.17 variant – which was first discovered in the U.K. – have been found in the state. The only two cases of the country’s known P.1 variant – discovered in Brazil – are also in Minnesota.  Dr. Poland indicated that the mutation of the virus and the speed of its spread means it’s likely COVID will become an endemic virus, meaning it is not likely herd immunity will be developed and the virus would then not be eliminated, but he added that if enough people are vaccinated, the disease will likely become more manageable with less deaths, like the flu.