PHOENIX ‒ On Friday, the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Pinal County Public Health Services District, and Arizona State University reported that the so-called U.K. COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7, has been confirmed in three test samples from the state.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), the United Kingdom (U.K.) identified this new strain in the fall 2020, and it was first detected in the U.S. at the end of December. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the U.S. and globally.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this variant of SARS-CoV-2 spreads at a faster rate; however, studies suggest that the vaccines currently authorized for use are effective against the UK COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7.