It's Almost Impossible to Find Out Which Covid Variant You Got

Last month, shortly after returning home from a bachelorette party, I tested positive for Covid. Twelve of us spent a weekend packed together in carefree revelry, including a night of drinking and dancing at a Connecticut casino; four of us got the virus within 72 hours. The point of origin seemed obvious. The bigger question: Which variant did we catch?

I was mostly just curious. But in some cases, knowing which variant you have could help dictate treatment – certain monoclonal antibody drugs, for instance, are less effective against omicron. It might also help inform your personal risk calculus: We know that while an omicron infection provides immune protection against prior variants, those other variants don’t necessarily put your immune system in a position to defend against omicron.