TABLE 2.
Description/features of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
| Variant/WHO label | Lineage | Description | Additional aminoacid/key mutations |
| Alpha (Davies et al., 2021; Galloway et al., 2021; Volz et al., 2021; Walensky et al., 2021) | B. 1. 1. 7 | UK lineage of concern, associated with the N501Y mutation United Kingdom, September-2020 +++ Transmissibility ++ Severity |
+S: 484K +S:452R N501Y P681H Deletions: H69-V70 Y144/145 |
| Beta (Tegally et al., 2021; Wibmer et al., 2021) | B. 1. 351 | South Africa, May-2020 +Transmissibility Severity: possible |
+S:L18F N501Y K417N E484K |
| Gamma (Candido et al., 2021; Wang P. et al., 2021) | P.1 | Brazilian lineage with a number of spike mutations with likely functional significance E484K, K417T, and N501Y. Brazil, Dez-2020 ++ Transmissibility Severity: possible |
+S:681H N501Y K417T E484K |
| Delta (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control [ECDC], 2021; Motozono et al., 2021) | B. 1. 617. 2 | Predominantly India lineage with several spike mutations. India, October-2020 +++ Transmissibility +++ Severity |
+S:417N +S:484K L452R E484Q |
| Omicron (Callaway, 2021; Gao et al., 2021) | B. 1. 1. 529 | Several mutations that are found in other variants of concern and that are thought to make the virus more infectious. Multiple countries, November-2021 |
D614G N501Y K417N |