Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

February 8, 2021

Genomic Epidemiology Identifies Emergence and Rapid Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 in the United States

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[Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Sequencing of 212 B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant genomes collected from testing facilities in the U.S. between December 2020 to January 2021 found that while the proportion of B.1.1.7 variants among S gene target failure samples varied by state, detection of the variant had a doubling rate of a little over a week and an increased transmission rate of 35-45%. Multiple independent introductions of B.1.1.7 into the U.S. were observed as early as late November 2020, with onward community transmission enabling the variant to spread to 30 or more states as of January 2021. 

Washington et al. (Feb 7, 2021). Genomic Epidemiology Identifies Emergence and Rapid Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 in the United States. Pre-print downloaded Feb 8 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.06.21251159