THE NEW COVID VARIANT OF MAJOR CONCERN, WHICH WAS FIRST SPOTTED IN BOTSWANA, HAS NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED IN ISRAEL AND HONG KONG, WITH EXPERTS FEARING ITS MUTATIONS MAY ALLOW IT TO SPREAD QUICKLY, EVADING EXISTING COVID-19 IMMUNITY. Variant B.1.1.529, which is yet to be given a name from the Greek alphabet like previous strains have, has spread rapidly across southern Africa since it was first identi