Over the weekend, Minnesota health officials said a new coronavirus variant has moved into the state.

The arrival of the variant, first identified in the United Kingdom in September and announced in Minnesota on Saturday, didn’t surprise officials. But they say it underscores the importance of slowing spread of the virus by wearing masks, maintaining social distance and quarantining if exposed.

The five cases of the new variant, in people ranging from ages 15 to 37, are all in the Twin Cities metro area, with two reporting to have traveled internationally. Health officials said 63 cases of the variant have been found in eight states so far, and early evidence shows the vaccine is effective against the variant.

By — Lakeland News