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 AFFECT OTHER MAJOR ORGAN SYSTEMS AS WELL. 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 ALSO THE LATEST NOVEL THERAPEUTICS AVAILABLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE CLINICAL INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMS, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS ILLNESS.