A New Variant of Coronavirus Is Here. But There’s Still A Lot To Learn About It.

Published December 22, 2020 at 4:48 PM EST

A man walks past a sign at St. Pancras train station in London, England.

Experts say there’s still a lot we don’t know about the new variant of coronavirus that scientists in the United Kingdom say they’ve discovered.

The new COVID-19 vaccines are likely effective against this strain, and it might not alter how the pandemic has already rolled out, according to NPR. But there are still some elements of the variant that may cause some to worry.

The new variant has prompted U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tighten restrictions through the holidays. Now, dozens of countries in the European Union and beyond have cut off travel to Great Britain.

Meanwhile, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has warned the new coronavirus strain is likely to already be in the United States. What does the new strain mean for the fight against the coronavirus?

We’re talking to Angela Rassmussen, a virologist and research associate at the Georgetown Center for Global Health Science and Security about it.