PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Making sure people get vaccinated is not the only concern right now — the rise of variants could also keep us locked in the pandemic.

The Oregon Health Authority is monitoring eight different variants, totaling nearly 800 cases. Oregon Health and Science University did a study on these variants to see if the vaccines are effective against the new variants.

Dr. Marcel Curlin, an associate professor of medicine at OHSU, joined AM Extra on Thursday to help break down those results.