Coronavirus mutant B.1.1.7 variant capsid, conceptual illustration. Lineage B.1.1.7, is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It is also known as the Kent variant and is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. B.1.1.7 was first identified in the UK in December 2020 and has since been found in other countries. B.1.1.7 spreads between people much more quickly than other strains, but does not appear to cause more severe disease.