The Latest Understanding of B.1.1.7

Ongoing research is uncovering clues in specific mutations

Illustration: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH

The spread of the mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.7 is worrying because it’s more transmissible. This means that this strain can be spread more easily from one person to the other than the dominant strain. By one estimate, B.1.1.7, which emerged in the U.K., can be up to 70% more transmissible…