Brazil variant of coronavirus detected in US for first time

the president will sign AH presidential proclamation to reduce the spread of Cove in 19 through travel, especially as we see faster spreading variants emerging across the world. This proclamation is part of the Biden administrations, whole of government, decisive and science driven response to the Cove in 19 Pandemic of particular. Note. On advice of our administration's medical and covert team, President Biden has decided to maintain the restrictions previously in place for the European Changin area the United Kingdom, Republican Republic of Ireland and Brazil. With the pandemic worsening and more contagions variant contagious variants spreading, this isn't the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel. And in light of the contagious variant uh, be 1351 South Africa has been added to the restricted list. Additionally, beginning tomorrow, international travelers to the United States must provide proof of a negative test within three days of travel. Two airlines Prior to departure, I wanted to briefly preview the first of our public health briefings, which will begin this Wednesday and will be done regularly, uh, for the foreseeable future. Thes will be science led briefings featuring our public health officials and members of our co VID 19 response team. These briefings were will typically happen three times a week to provide the American people with key updates on the virus and our government's response. There isn't time for this sort of bad legislative back and forth. Well, the president himself has conveyed the urgency of moving this package forward. And that's certainly something he has also conveyed privately to Democrats and Republicans. And it's not just him. There's urgency to the American people for this package to move forward because we're going to hit Ah, Cliff and unemployment cliff unemployment insurance. Cliff, I should say in March, where millions of people won't be able to have access to unemployment insurance, we're going to hit a point where we won't have enough funding for vaccine distribution. Nobody wants to have the conversation, no member of Congress in May or June, when there we don't have the funding to put back to over reopen schools. I should say so there's an urgency he's conveyed

Related video above: White House press secretary says no time 'to be lifting' travel restrictionsWhile all viruses mutate over time, some variants of the novel coronavirus are worrying scientists.Several strains appear to be more transmissible than other variants, scientists say.One from Brazil was discovered recently in a U.S. patient, officials in Minnesota said. They said the person had traveled from Brazil. It is the first known case of the P.1 variant reaching the United States."The emergence of this variant raises concerns of a potential increase in transmissibility or propensity for SARS-CoV-2 re-infection of individuals," the CDC says on its website.It's been the most common variant of the virus detected in a surge of cases seen in and around Manaus, the largest city in Brazil's Amazon region.There's no evidence it causes more severe disease, however.Another strain, first discovered in the United Kingdom, is also more transmissible.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the country could see "rapid growth" in its spread in early 2021. This B.1.1.7 strain has already been detected in more than 20 U.S. states.And there's "a realistic possibility" that B.1.1.7 could be deadlier than other variants, a UK report said.Another strain, first detected in South Africa, is concerning because scientists have said current COVID-19 vaccines might not be as effective against it.That strain has been found in more than 20 other countries, though it has not yet been detected in the U.S.Two doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine are "expected to be protective against emerging strains detected to date," the vaccine maker said.There was "no significant impact" on the vaccine's effectiveness against the strain first found in the UK. But there may be somewhat less effectiveness against the strain first detected in South Africa."The efficacy might be reduced somewhat, but it may still be very effective," said David Montefiori, a virologist at Duke University Medical Center. "Hopefully, the vaccine will still be 70-80% effective."Moderna said it's developing a new COVID-19 booster vaccine to protect against the variant first spotted in South Africa. The company plans to first test the vaccine in the lab and in a small Phase 1 clinical trial in the U.S.Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine candidate is being tested in Brazil, South Africa and the United States and results might provide insight into how well it works against emerging new variants, one of its developers told CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the Coronavirus Fact vs Fiction podcast.The company has said that it could share its Phase 3 trial data as early as this week."It'll give us insights not only into whether or not this vaccine candidate is effective, but it'll also give us insights into whether or not the variants that are circulating in South Africa might be a problem for vaccines," said Dr. Dan Barouch, who is the director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Related video above: White House press secretary says no time 'to be lifting' travel restrictions

While all viruses mutate over time, some variants of the novel coronavirus are worrying scientists.

Several strains appear to be more transmissible than other variants, scientists say.

One from Brazil was discovered recently in a U.S. patient, officials in Minnesota said. They said the person had traveled from Brazil. It is the first known case of the P.1 variant reaching the United States.

"The emergence of this variant raises concerns of a potential increase in transmissibility or propensity for SARS-CoV-2 re-infection of individuals," the CDC says on its website.

It's been the most common variant of the virus detected in a surge of cases seen in and around Manaus, the largest city in Brazil's Amazon region.

There's no evidence it causes more severe disease, however.

Another strain, first discovered in the United Kingdom, is also more transmissible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could see "rapid growth" in its spread in early 2021. This B.1.1.7 strain has already been detected in more than 20 U.S. states.

And there's "a realistic possibility" that B.1.1.7 could be deadlier than other variants, a UK report said.

Another strain, first detected in South Africa, is concerning because scientists have said current COVID-19 .

That strain has been found in more than 20 other countries, though it has not yet been detected in the U.S.

Two doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine are "expected to be protective against emerging strains detected to date," the vaccine maker said.

There was "no significant impact" on the vaccine's effectiveness against the strain first found in the UK. But there may be somewhat less effectiveness against the strain first detected in South Africa.

"The efficacy might be reduced somewhat, but it may still be very effective," said David Montefiori, a virologist at Duke University Medical Center. "Hopefully, the vaccine will still be 70-80% effective."

Moderna said it's developing a new COVID-19 booster vaccine to protect against the variant first spotted in South Africa. The company plans to first test the vaccine in the lab and in a small Phase 1 clinical trial in the U.S.

Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine candidate is being tested in Brazil, South Africa and the United States and results might provide insight into how well it works against emerging new variants, one of its developers told CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the .

The company has said that it could share its Phase 3 trial data as early as this week.

"It'll give us insights not only into whether or not this vaccine candidate is effective, but it'll also give us insights into whether or not the variants that are circulating in South Africa might be a problem for vaccines," said , who is the director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

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