Guidance

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: 28 January 2022

Updated 21 April 2023

Position as of 24 January 2022.

Horizon scan

International epidemiology scan 24 January 2022
Imported sample mutation scan 24 January 2022
Signals in monitoring scan 24 January 2022
Phylogenetic cluster detection 24 January 2022
International mutation scan 21 January 2022
Domestic mutation scan 21 January 2022
Reinfections scan 21 January 2022
Vaccinees scan 19 January 2022
Signals investigated 12 January to 24 January 2022 3
New genomes 12 January to 24 January 2022 164,897

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 (VOC-21APR-02, and all sub-lineages, unless named elsewhere on the grid)
Omicron (B.1.1.529/BA.1/VOC-21NOV-01, and all sub-lineages, unless named elsewhere on the grid)

Variants under investigation

Mu (VUI-21JUL-01, B.1.621)
VUI-21OCT-01 (AY.4.2)
VUI-21FEB-04 (B.1.1.318)
Omicron BA.2/VUI-22JAN-01

Signals currently under monitoring and investigation

B.1.640

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

VUI-21JAN-01 (P.2)
VUI-21FEB-03, (B.1.525)
VUI-21APR-01 (B.1.617.1)

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)
VUI-21MAY-01 (AV.1)
VUI-21MAR-02 (P.3)
VUI-21APR-03 (B.1.617.3)

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

A.30
B.1.633
AT.1
A.27
P.5
R.1
B.1.620
C.36.3

Signals removed after review

Variants under investigation and signals in monitoring may be removed from the grid if they show consistently low growth rates.

AY.33
AY.34
AY.43
B.1.1.7 + B.1.617.2 (Recombinant)
Iota (B.1.526)
B.1.619
B.1.629
B.1.630
B.1.628 recombinant of (B.1.631 and B.1.634)
B.1.214.2
C.1.2
C.37 (Lambda) (previously VUI-21JUN-01)
C.37 (2nd Gen)
Epsilon (B.1.427/B.1.429)
P.1.8
Variant associated with North America: USA 214insQAS Samples