New York Medical College in Valhalla is one of five laboratories selected to expand New York's research to identify COVID-19 variants.

The labs will look at positive COVID-19 samples from across the state and perform tests to find new variants.

They will also analyze samples to help scientists to better understand COVID-19 and provide data on the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments.

The state's Wadsworth Center lab in Albany, which has been mainly responsible for looking at COVID-19 samples for variants, will spend $20 million to expand research to these other sites.

The research will also include looking at whether COVID-19 variants affect certain groups of people based on underlying health conditions, age and sex.