UK: NERVTAG Names New COVID VOC (Variant of Concern)

 

#15,794

The UK leads the world in genomic sequencing of positive COVID samples, and so it is not all that surprising that they should continue to find new, and worrisome variants.  

Just a week ago, in UK PHE: E484K Mutation Detected In A Small Number of B.1.1.7 Variant VIruses, we looked at a brief announcement (see above) of yet another new variant under investigation. 

This E484K mutation - which has been linked to reduced antibody recognition - continues to crop up independently in COVID variants around the globe, including in  South Africa and Brazil, and has now appeared in two homegrown variants in the UK (VOC 202102/02 dubbed the `Bristol Variant' and VUI 202102/01 dubbed the `Liverpool' Variant).

The PHE explains the difference between a VUI and a VOC.

Differences between a Variant of Concern and a Variant Under Investigation

 

SARS-CoV-2 variants, if considered to have concerning epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties, are raised for formal investigation. At this point they are designated Variant Under Investigation (VUI) with a year, month, and number. Following a risk assessment with the relevant expert committee, they may be designated Variant of Concern (VOC).

Today the UK's PHE published an updated assessment of the COVID variants in the UK, and upgraded the `Bristol' variant from a VUI to a VOC. This change now has the UK tracking 4 Variants of Concern and 2 Variants Under Investigation. 

Variants of concern or under investigation: data up to 8 February 2021

The VOC-202012/01 variant was first detected in the UK and was first sequenced in the UK in September 2020.
The VOC-202012/02 variant was first detected in South Africa and was first sequenced in the UK in December 2020.
The VUI-202101/01 variant was first detected in Brazil and was first sequenced in the UK in November 2020.
The VOC-202101/02 variant was first detected in Japan in travellers from Brazil in January 2021 and has not been detected in the UK.
The VUI 202102/01 variant.
The VOC 202102/02 variant.

          (Continue . . . .)

 
Very little is known about these new variants, other than they appear to be more transmissible than the `wild type' COVID of 2020.  The addition of the E484K mutation is viewed with some concern, as some studies on the B.1.351 variant have shown it to reduce the effectiveness of current vaccines. 

Hopefully we'll get an updated NERVTAG (New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group) report in the next few days explaining what they found to induce them to upgrade this VUI to a VOC.

While the `Liverpool' variant remains a VUI, that designation could easily change in the days ahead.