Guidance

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: 15 October 2021

Updated 21 April 2023

Position as of 11 October 2021.

Horizon scan

International epidemiology scan 8 October 2021
Imported sample mutation scan 7 October 2021
Signals in monitoring scan 7 October 2021
Phylogenetic cluster detection 28 September 2021
International mutation scan 5 October 2021
Domestic mutation scan 8 October 2021
Reinfections scan 8 October 2021
Vaccinees scan 1 October 2021
Signals investigated 27 September to 11 October 11
New genomes 27 September to 11 October 91,071

Note: Signals of individual mutations and new clusters are excluded until defined variant is identified.

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants detected in the UK

Variants of concern

Alpha (VOC-20DEC-01, B.1.1.7)
Beta (VOC-20DEC-02, B.1.351)
Gamma (VOC-21JAN-02, P.1)
Delta and sub-lineages

Variants under investigation

VUI-21FEB-04 (B.1.1.318)
Kappa (VUI-21APR-01, B.1.617.1)
Mu (VUI-21JUL-01, B.1.621)

Signals currently under monitoring and investigation

A.30
A.27
AT.1
Alpha with S494P
Alpha with Q677H
B.1.214.2
Epsilon B.1.427/B.1.429
Iota B.1.526
B.1.633
B.1.619
B.1.620
B.1.629
C.1.2
R.1
B.1.630 and B.1.628
P.1.8
AY.4.2

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants present in GISAID but not detected in the UK

International variants of concern

N/A

International variants under investigation

Zeta (VUI-21JAN-01, P.2)
Eta (VUI-21FEB-03, B.1.525)
Theta (VUI-21MAR-02, P.3)
VUI-21APR-03 (B.1.617.3)
VUI-21MAY-01 (AV.1)
VUI-21MAY-02 (C.36.3)
Lambda (VUI-21JUN-01, C.37)

International signals under monitoring

N/A

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants that have become provisionally extinct

Variants provisionally extinct (not detected for 12 weeks in the UK or in GISAID)

VUI-21FEB-01 (A.23.1 with E484K)
VOC-21FEB-02 (Alpha with E484K)
VUI-21MAR-01 (B.1.324.1 with E484K)