Enhancing epidemiological surveillance of the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant using spike gene target failure data, England, 15 November to 31 December 2021.

Blomquist, Paula B; Bridgen, Jessica; Bray, Neil; O'Connell, Anne Marie; West, Daniel; Groves, Natalie; Gallagher, Eileen; Utsi, Lara; Jarvis, Christopher I; Hardstaff, Jo L; +16 more... Byers, Chloe; Metelmann, Soeren; Simons, David; Zaidi, Asad; Twohig, Katherine A; Savagar, Bethan; Løchen, Alessandra; Ryan, Cian; Wrenn, Katie; Saavedra-Campos, María; Abedin, Zahidul; Florence, Isaac; Cleary, Paul; Elson, Richard; Vivancos, Roberto; Lake, Iain R; (2022) Enhancing epidemiological surveillance of the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant using spike gene target failure data, England, 15 November to 31 December 2021. Eurosurveillance, 27 (11). pp. 6-10. ISSN 1025-496X DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.11.2200143

Abstract

When SARS-CoV-2 Omicron emerged in 2021, S gene target failure enabled differentiation between Omicron and the dominant Delta variant. In England, where S gene target surveillance (SGTS) was already established, this led to rapid identification (within ca 3 days of sample collection) of possible Omicron cases, alongside real-time surveillance and modelling of Omicron growth. SGTS was key to public health action (including case identification and incident management), and we share applied insights on how and when to use SGTS.

Additional Information

Item Type	Article
Faculty and Department	Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Research Centre	Covid-19 Research
PubMed ID	35301981
Elements ID	172973