List of covid-19 variants | Data Source: WHO (Last updated: 2021-07-23)
All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Most changes have little to no impact on the virus' properties. However, some changes may affect the virus's properties, such as how easily it spreads, the associated disease severity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures.
WHO, in collaboration with partners, expert networks, national authorities, institutions and researchers have been monitoring and assessing the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 since January 2020. During late 2020, the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health prompted the characterisation of specific Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs), in order to prioritise global monitoring and research, and ultimately to inform the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| WHO label | Pango lineages | GISAID clade | Next strain clade | Additional amino acid changes monitored* | Earliest documented samples | Date of designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | B.1.1.7 | GRY | 20I (V1) | +S:484K+S:452R | United Kingdom, Sep-2020 | 18-Dec-2020 |
| Beta | B.1.351B.1.351.2B.1.351.3 | GH/501Y.V2 | 20H (V2) | +S:L18F | South Africa, May-2020 | 18-Dec-2020 |
| Gamma | P.1P.1.1P.1.2 | GR/501Y.V3 | 20J (V3) | +S:681H | Brazil, Nov-2020 | 11-Jan-2021 |
| Delta | B.1.617.2AY.1AY.2 AY.3 | G/478K.V1 | 21A | +S:417N | India, Oct-2020 | VOI: 4-Apr-2021 VOC: 11-May-2021 |
| WHO label | Pango lineages | GISAID clade | Next strain clade | Earliest documented samples | Date of designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eta | B.1.525 | G/484K.V3 | 21D | Multiple countries, Dec-2020 | 17-Mar-2021 |
| Iota | B.1.526 | GH/253G.V1 | 21F | United States of America, Nov-2020 | 24-Mar-2021 |
| Kappa | B.1.617.1 | G/452R.V3 | 21B | India, Oct-2020 | 4-Apr-2021 |
| Lambda | C.37 | GR/452Q.V1 | 21G | Peru, Dec-2020 | 14-Jun-2021 |
| WHO label | Pango lineages | GISAID clade | Next strain clade | Earliest documented samples | Date of designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.1.427B.1.429* | GH/452R.V1 | 21C | United States of America, Mar-2020 | VOI: 5-Mar-2021 Alert: 6-Jul-2021 |
|
| P.2* | GR/484K.V2 | 20B/S.484K | Brazil, Apr-2020 | VOI: 17-Mar-2021 Alert: 6-Jul-2021 |
|
| P.3* | GR/1092K.V1 | 21E | Philippines, Jan-2021 | VOI: 24-Mar-2021 Alert: 6-Jul-2021 |
|
| R.1R.2 | GR | - | Multiple countries, Jan-2021 | 07-Apr-2021 | |
| B.1.466.2 | GH | - | Indonesia, Nov-2020 | 28-Apr-2021 | |
| B.1.621 | GH | 21H | Colombia, Jan-2021 | 26-May-2021 | |
| B.1.1.318 | GR | 20B | Multiple countries, Jan-2021 | 02-Jun-2021 | |
| B.1.1.519 | GR | 20B | Multiple countries, Nov-2020 | 02-Jun-2021 | |
| C.36.3C.36.3.1 | GR | 20D | Multiple countries, Jan-2021 | 16-Jun-2021 | |
| B.1.214.2 | G | - | Multiple countries, Nov-2020 | 30-Jun-2021 | |
| B.1.1.523 | GR | - | Multiple countries, May-2020 | 14-July-2021 | |
| B.1.619 | G | - | Multiple countries, May-2020 | 14-July-2021 | |
| B.1.620 | G | - | Multiple countries, November 2020 | 14-July-2021 |
List of Covid 19 variants | Data Source: WHO (Last updated: 2021-07-23) | List of PCR test centres near you for travel (fit to fly) in the UK