COVID Lambda Variant and Beyond
Posted on 08/04/2021
The COVID variant names seem to have dropped geographic names in a bid for the Greek alphabet. The Delta variant of the coronavirus, which was known as the Indian variant, is the main COVID variant impacting the U.S. and remains the dominant strain in the United States. The Lambda variant of COVID is thought to be more resistant to vaccines than the original version of the virus and is spreading fast in South America. In addition, the U.S. is having a massive humanitarian border crisis with Mexico as hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants are pouring into the U.S., many from Latin America. These migrants, in which many are unvaccinated from COVID shots, are being given bus passes and tickets to various corners of the U.S., thus likely being a source of spread of new COVID variants. For example the border City of McAllen says the U.S. federal government have been releasing an “alarming” number of illegal migrants into their city, untested for COVID-19. A patient at Houston Methodist Hospital was confirmed to be infected with the Lambda variant, KHOU11 reported. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order allowing state troopers to stop vehicles suspected of carrying illegal immigrants over fears they could spread COVID-19; however, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of El Paso blocked the governor’s state executive order.
In all, 28 countries have identified Lambda variants in COVID cases, according to GISAID. The Lambda variant of COVID first emerged in Peru in 2020.
One day there could be an Omega COVID variant. Hopefully that would be the last, but unlikely.