EMERGING VARIANTS OF SARS-COV-2 AND NOVEL THERAPEUTICS AGAINST CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Course overview

COVID-19 IS AN ACUTE VIRAL ILLNESS CAUSED BY SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONAVIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2). SARS-COV-2 PRIMARILY AFFECTS THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM; HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO AFFECT OTHER MAJOR ORGAN SYSTEMS. SINCE THE ONSET OF THE SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC, MULTIPLE NEW VARIANTS OF CONCERN HAVE EMERGED, SUCH AS THE ALPHA (B.1.1.7); BETA (B.1.351); AND GAMMA (P.1); DELTA (B.1.617.2), AND OMICRON (B.1.1.529) WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ENHANCED TRANSMISSIBILITY AND INCREASED VIRULENCE. THIS ACTIVITY DISCUSSES THESE NEW VARIANTS AND THE LATEST NOVEL THERAPEUTICS AVAILABLE TO MANAGE COVID-19. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF CLINICAL INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMS, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS ILLNESS.