The World Health Organization announces a new system of naming the COVID-19 variants using the Greek alphabet in order to avoid stigmatizing countries where variants are first detected. According to the new system, B.1.1.7 becomes Alpha, B.1.351 becomes Beta, and P.1 becomes Gamma. Meanwhile B.1.617, which split into sub-lineage B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2, is called Kappa and Delta respectively. 2021-05-31
Indonesia reports its first two cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, first discovered in India, in two people from Jakarta. The country also reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.351 variant, first discovered in South Africa, in a person from Bali. 2021-05-3
Pfizer announces a revised efficacy rating of 91.3% for its vaccine candidate, down from its original rating of 95%, and affirms that protection afforded by the vaccine lasts for at least six months. Pfizer also announces that the vaccine appeared to provide protection against the 501.V2 variant in 100% of cases during its South African trial run. 2021-04-1
Washington, D.C. confirms its first cases of the 501.V2 variant from South Africa and the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. 2021-02-11
Portugal also reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa. They do not indicate whether the individual travelled. 2021-01-22
British Columbia reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa. 2021-01-14
Vaccine developer Pfizer announces that lab studies have concluded that the joint Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine remains effective against mutation variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including Variant of Concern 202012-01 and the 501.V2 variant. 2021-01-8
Denmark bans travel to non-residents from South Africa over concerns of the 501.V2 variant. 2021-01-6
France reports their first case of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a man who travelled from South Africa to the Haut-Rhin region and later tested positive for COVID-19. 2020-12-31
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces a ban on travel from South Africa due to the discovery of a mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa. 2020-12-23