Guidance

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: 3 September 2021

Updated 21 April 2023

Position as of 30 August 2021.

Horizon scan

International epidemiology scan 27 August 2021
Imported sample mutation scan 26 August 2021
Signals in monitoring scan 27 August 2021
Phylogenetic cluster detection 17 August 2021
International mutation scan 24 August 2021
Domestic mutation scan 27 August 2021
Reinfections scan 27 August 2021
Vaccinees scan 13 August 2021
Signals investigated 17 August to 30 August 9
New genomes 17 August to 30 August 85,163

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, B.1.617.2, AY.1, AY.2, and AY.3)

Variants under investigation

VUI-21FEB-04 (B.1.1.318)
Theta (VUI-21MAR-02, P.3)
VUI-21MAY-01 (AV.1)
VUI-21MAY-02 (C.36.3)
Lambda (VUI-21JUN-01, C.37)
Mu (VUI-21JUL-01, B.1.621)
Eta (VUI-21FEB-03, B.1.525)

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

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-21APR-03 (B.1.617.3)

International signals under monitoring

B.1 with 214insQAS
P.1 + N501T and E484Q

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants which 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)
VUI-21MAR-01 (B.1.324.1 with E484K)
VOC-21FEB-02 (Alpha with E484K)
Kappa (VUI-21APR-01, B.1.617.1)
Zeta (VUI-21JAN-01, P.2)