S. Africa COVID-19 Variant Detected In US; Vaccine Manufacturers Test Effectiveness Against It

The COVID-19 variant B.1351, first identified in South Africa, has been confirmed for the first time in the United States as vaccine developers test their drug's effectiveness against the new variant. The Svariant has raised concerns over being more contagious than other strains of the virus, and for potentially evading the immunity provided by antibodies. According to a release from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control on Thursday, two cases have been reported in the state, though there is no known travel history or connection between the cases. The World Health Organization reports that the variant has been reported in 31 countries. Vaccine manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech said their vaccine would still prevent the new strain, though its effects were weaker against it. Moderna is currently working on a "booster" against the new virus. On Thursday, Novavax Inc. said its U.K. trial is 89.3% effective in preventing COVID-19, but was just less than 50% effective in preventing the South Africa variant. This story received wide coverage across the political spectrum.