COVID-19 variants occur when the virus (SARS-CoV-2) has one or more new mutations. Monitoring how viruses change over time can help us understand how to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Although variants are expected, we can slow the emergence of new variants by taking measures to protect ourselves and our loved ones, including remaining up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine, social distancing, and wearing masks.
Data presented here on the distribution of circulating variants come from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), an international database for SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data. Weekly COVID-19 positive cases reported by DC Health are also included to provide additional context. See the Data Guide for more information on the data presented.