Coronavirus variants are an expected part of the virus's lifecycle, and although some mutations have little to no impact on the virus’s properties, others can change how it spreads, its severity and the effectiveness of vaccines. We spoke to two microbiology professors to better understand what leads to mutations and how we can prevent more infectious strains from developing.

The delta variant remains the most prominent strain in the U.S. Currently, the World Health Organization has designated five strains as “variants of interest,” including mu. Read more: https://wapo.st/3zVbXN2. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: https://wapo.st/2QOdcqK

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