There's a new COVID-19 variant known as AY.4.2, or "Delta Plus." Here's what you need to know about this potentially more contagious virus.

The AY.4.2 COVID-19 strain is a mutation of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. It's currently spreading in both the U.S. and UK.

Initial data from the UK shows AY.4.2 could be 10 percent more contagious than the original Delta strain, but more research is needed to confirm this.

The mutation seems to be close enough to the original COVID-19 virus that current vaccines are effective against.

Scientists say that being more contagious doesn't mean it's more dangerous and that vaccination is still the best protection against all mutations of COVID-19.

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