On Jan. 4, 2021, a research partnership between scientists at Scripps Research and UC San Diego found the first evidence that the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant first uncovered in the United Kingdom was present in California.

On Dec. 29, personnel at the EXCITE COVID-19 clinical testing laboratory at UC San Diego School of Medicine identified a positive sample that showed a specific pattern that can indicate the B.1.1.7 lineage, which is believed to spread more easily than the earlier forms of the virus. /p>