Coronavirus variants continue to spread in Connecticut and across the country, and on Thursday the state released the latest data.
The state Department of Public Health said there are different categories they consider - those of "high consequence," those of "concern," and those of "interest," based on factors like how easily a strain can spread.
COVID-19 Variants of Concern
- B.1.1.7 (first detected in the United Kingdom): 945 cases
- B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa): 9 cases
- P.1 (first detected in Brazil): 9 cases
- B.1.427 (first detected in California): 47 cases
- B.1.429 (first detected in California): 120 cases
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
COVID-19 Variants of Interest
- B.1.526 (first detected in New York): 478 cases
- B.1.525 (first detected in Africa and Europe): 10 cases
- P.2 (first detected in Brazil): 7 cases
The state continues its vaccination effort, calling it a race against the variants. On Thursday, the governor reported that 55% of people 16 and over have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
The southwest corner of the state has a higher positivity rate than other areas across Connecticut, which Gov. Ned Lamont thinks may be related to the spread of the New York COVID-19 strain.
Studies are underway to see how effective the currently available vaccines are against the various variants as researchers also look at developing future vaccines to combat emerging variants.
Local
On Thursday, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said people will "likely" need a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within 12 months of getting fully vaccinated. He also said it's possible people will need to get vaccinated against the coronavirus annually.
Researchers still don't know how long protection against the virus lasts once someone has been fully vaccinated.
