PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (80): vaccine, USA variants, comments, WHO, global

COVID-19 — United States
In New York, a new variant that carries a mutation that may weaken the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines has been identified as the B.1.526 variant. It was first discovered in November [2020] and now accounts for about one in 4 viral sequences in a database shared by scientists, according to the New York Times. In a paper published today from Columbia University [see reference below], the authors noted a steady increase in the detection rate of B.1.526 cases from late December [2020] to