Wednesday's Afternoon Update | 1/27/2021 ‘It could be a double whammy.’ Florida scientists worry about Brazilian variant As the pandemic continues to worsen around the world, scientists are grappling to better understand spin-off versions of the COVID-19 virus — and one of the latest strains poses a particular threat to South Florida. The little-understood “P1” strain of the COVID-19 virus, known as the Brazilian variant, contains two of the mutations that have researchers worried: one that is thought to increase the infectiousness of the virus and one that is thought to aid the virus in escaping a potential target’s immune system, which would have implications for vaccines. More from the Miami Herald.