Table 1.
The characteristics of the main SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern or interest, according to WHO [27].
| WHO Name | Pangos Lineage | Country of First Identification (Date) |
Next Strain Clade | Number of S-Protein Mutations |
Type of Variant | Concern or Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | B.1.1.7 | UK (September 2020) |
20I/501Y.V1 | 13 | VOC | Rapid transmissibility and higher infectivity. |
| Beta | B.1.351 | South Africa (May 2020) |
20H/501.V2 | 13 | VOC | Higher viral transmissibility and severity, in addition to immune escape (possible reduction in vaccine effectiveness). |
| Gamma | P.1 | Brazil (November 2020) |
20J/501Y.V3 | 12 | VOC | Increase in viral transmissibility and possible immune escape (possible reduction in vaccine effectiveness). |
| Delta | B.1.617.2 | India (October 2020) |
21A/S:478K | 15 | VOC | High transmissibility and severity, in addition to a reduction in vaccine effectiveness. |
| Omicron | B.1.1.529 | South Africa (November 2021) |
21K, 21L, 21M | 30 | VOC | Increased viral replication, immune escape (possible reduction in vaccine effectiveness), infectivity (transmissibility), and re-infection. |
| Lambda | C.37 | Peru (December 2020) |
21G | 8 | VOI | Possible enhanced infectivity and immune resistance. |
| Mu | B.1.621 | Colombia (January 2021) |
21H | 9 | VOI | Increased transmissibility and possible immune resistance. |
S—spike; UK—United Kingdom; VOC—variant of concern; VOI—variant of interest.