PARIS, FRANCE -- The B.1.1.7 variant of the novel coronavirus does not increase the severity of COVID-19 compared to other strains, according to research published Tuesday that also confirmed its increased transmissibility. The variant, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom, is now the dominant viral strain across much of Europe, and previous studies had shown it was linked to a higher likelihood of death than normal variants. But two studies published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health journals found no evidence that people with B.1.1.7. experience worse symptoms or a greater risk of developing long-haul COVID-19 than those infected with different variants.