Also Read | Investing during all-time highs can be good strategyIn South Africa, meanwhile, doctors and researchers battling a second surge of Covid-19 cases are studying another new variant and what role it plays in the rising tide of cases there.
The variant, known as B.1.351, has been identified in samples dating back to October. It hasn’t been detected in the U.S.Here is what we know so far about the new variants and the genetic mutations that characterize them, as well as their potential impact on public health.What is a viral variant?Viral variants are new versions of a virus that arise as a result of small changes in its genetic code.