February 5, 2021 By Waterways Journal The vaccine rollout is underway, but the fight ahead is still long. Even as vaccines are being distributed, at least three new variants of the coronavirus (first detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, respectively) are spreading around the globe, with perhaps more variants to follow as the virus continues to mutate. According to some sources, the Brazil variant may be capable of infecting people who had already recovered from the first wave of coronavirus. Health experts also caution that while the vaccines approved so far appear to be remarkably effective in protecting the recipients, it’s not clear whether they prevent them from spreading the virus. Masks and other protective measures will need to be in place for a long time yet; the Biden administration has just nationalized some mask orders.