Yesterday we received the news that a new homegrown variant of Covid-19 that was first detected in Liverpool has been officially classified.
Last month the ECHO first reported on a cluster of cases of the virus featuring a particular spike protein that were being looked at by Public Health England.
The cases were first identified on January 10 in Liverpool and were linked to a number of staff from the city's Women's Hospital.
It is understood that the staff members developed the virus after attending a funeral in the city together - but around 55 cases have now been found right across the Liverpool City Region as well as in Warrington and Lancashire.
These cases involve the original Covid-19 virus but with a mutation known as E484K.
The same mutation has also been found in the South African and Brazilian variants of the virus that the government is working to contain at the minute.
Yesterday, the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) made the official classification of the variant first found in Liverpool as a Variant Under Investigation.
At the same time, the expert body has given a different classification to another homegrown variant of the virus.
The variant first found in Bristol - and now located in Manchester - involves the more transmissible Kent variant of the virus, but with the same E484K mutation.
This has now been classified as a Variant of Concern by NERVTAG.
Surge testing is now taking place in Bristol and Manchester to try and clamp down on the potential spread of this variant.
The differing classifications mean that currently the variant first located in Liverpool is not worrying health experts as much as the one found in Bristol - or the South African variant that has been detected in parts of England including Southport.
At this stage there has been no extra testing put in place concerning the Liverpool variant - although the city region has had mass testing operations in place since before Christmas.
People are also being urged to get tested if they have a range of different symptoms following the detection of the variant.
While the three main symptoms of Covid-19 are a high temperature, a persistent cough or a loss of smell or taste - people are now being told to get tested if they experience Ddiarrhoe, a persistent headache, fever and chill, shortness of breath or difficulty breathin, fatigue, muscle or body ache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting.
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In total, some 76 cases of the two new variants identified by NERVTAG have been found so far in the UK.
Public Health England has a "high degree of confidence that the vaccines will work against variants", including the Bristol variant of concern.
With new variants circulating in the country, people are being told it is more important than ever to stay at home and follow hygiene and social distancing measures at all times.
Dr Susan Hopkins, COVID-19 Strategic Response Director at PHE, said: "While we expect that the vaccines will still prevent severe illness and deaths, we are taking public health action on clusters of variants with E484K to reduce the risk of spread in our population.
"We will be implementing the necessary public health action to mitigate the spread of these variants and will continue to monitor them closely.
"It remains absolutely vital that people continue to stay at home where possible, and follow the guidance on face coverings, social distancing and hand hygiene."
