A 3D model of the novel coronavirus, with red spike proteins on the outside.
The new, more infectious variant is already in Texas, but one microbiologist says proactive research along with social distancing and vaccinations are our best bet for beating it.
As scientists track the spread of the new so-called UK variant of the coronavirus, more is being revealed about its origins and how it might affect people here in Texas.
UT Medical Branch microbiologist Pei-Yong Shi told Texas Standard that it s still unclear if the new variant will interact differently with COVID-19 vaccines, but he says no one should panic. Rather, he says it s an opportunity for researchers like him to learn all they can to get ahead of its spread. Shi and several other researchers recently published a paper about the variant, which was discovered in the United Kingdom. A new coronavirus variant has also appeared in South Africa.