Health experts say despite the recent dip in COVID-19 cases, now is not the time to let our guard down. They say that's because variants of the virus are now spreading in the U.S.

The federal government is hoping at-home tests are available to millions of Americans. The tests would help identify people who could spread COVID-19. Many experts believe the at-home tests could control the virus and help fully reopen the economy. But how realistic is that?

News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined by Dr. Joseph Petrosino this morning to answer your coronavirus questions. Dr. Petrosino is the chairperson of the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Testing for COVID-19 is set to get a lot easier over the next few months. But overall, testing for COVID-19 has gotten some bad reviews. Dr. Petrosino talks about the new tests we will be seeing, how they work, and how they will help open up the economy:

A new study finds that cases of a more contagious coronavirus variant are rapidly increasing in the United States, and significant community transmission may already be occurring.

Although the variant first identified in the U.K. is currently at a relatively low frequency in the United States, the paper says it's doubling every week and a half, similar to what was observed in other countries. The report estimates this variant is 35-45% more transmissible than strains that appeared earlier in the United States, and it's doubling about every 10 days in the country. Dr. Petrosino talks about the virus mutations, and how to prevent the spread: