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As the highly contagious variant of the Delta coronavirus continues to cause the increase in COVID-19 cases in the United States, another variant is starting to gain global attention.
Lambda (C.37) was listed as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization (WHO) in mid-June. It was first detected in Peru in December and is now spreading throughout South America.
Genomic sequencing has identified 977 cases of COVID-19 caused by Lambda in the United States, according to data sharing site GISAID. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not currently list Lambda as a variant of interest in the United States.
Yet infectious disease experts nationally and globally are keeping tabs on it. Here’s everything they know about Lambda so far.
What is the Lambda variant?
Lambda has genetic changes, seven of which are to the virus spike protein, the part that clings to human cells, which can increase the transmissibility of the virus, as well as the severity of the disease it causes. It was found to be causing “significant community transmission or multiple clusters of COVID-19” in various countries with peaks in coronavirus cases, according to the WHO. Lambda may also interfere with the effectiveness of available COVID-19 vaccines.
“It has spread to a number of countries in South America, as well as some more distant countries, such as the UK,” says William Schaffner, MD, infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University. School of Medicine. “And we’ve definitely had a few cases in the United States”
Why is Lambda not an interesting variant in the United States?
Lambda has not yet spread enough across the country, according to CDC spokeswoman Jasmine Reed. “Lambda’s proportion never exceeded 0.5% nationally and peaked in July, but this lineage has been declining in proportion since that time,” Reed said. Prevention. “We will continue to monitor Lambda lineage and if it exceeds 1% in any region within a two week interval, it will be listed on the Variant Proportions page on the COVID Data Tracker website. “
Infectious disease experts believe the dominant Delta strain could curb the spread of Lambda, preventing it from “taking a big place,” says Amesh A. Adalja, infectious disease expert, MD, principal investigator at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
The WHO, however, is “more sensitive to the fact that this has spread to several countries … Public health experts and virologists all have an eye on this,” says Dr Schaffner. There is currently thin data on Lambda compared to other variants, he says, but “studies are ongoing.”
Some research suggests that the Lambda variant may decrease the ability of vaccine antibodies to fight the virus, but the data is “limited,” says Stanley Weiss, MD, professor of medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health.
Dr Adalja agrees, also noting that we have no concrete evidence “to say vaccines don’t work” against the Lambda variant.
What are the symptoms of the Lambda variant?
The symptoms are believed to be the same as those of other newer strains of coronavirus, says Dr Schaffner. According to the CDC, these include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
- Tired
- Muscle or body pain
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
How to protect yourself from COVID-19
“We must be very concerned about the pandemic, which remains fertile ground for variants,” said Dr Weiss. “Every variant that we learn that is gaining grip in a region clearly has disturbing properties.”
All the infectious disease experts we spoke to stress the importance of getting vaccinated to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community. “Vaccines are going to be able to prevent the serious consequences of infection, so this is the best way to prevent the Lambda variant from having a significant impact on your life,” says Dr Adalja.
If you’re already vaccinated, Dr. Schaffner recommends following other preventative guidelines proven to reduce the spread of the disease, such as hiding indoors in areas with high COVID-19 transmission (you can check what’s happening happening in your area here) and practicing good hand hygiene. This is especially true if you have vulnerable people in your household, including people with underlying illnesses and children under 12 who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.
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