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Sep 1, 2023 · The World Health Organization (WHO) names new coronavirus variants using the letters of the Greek alphabet, starting with the Alpha variant, which emerged in 2020. Below is a list of—and information about—some of the variants that have been top-of-mind.
- kathy.katella-cofrancesco@yale.edu
Apr 9, 2020 · Probably the most well-known image of the coronavirus is the three-dimensional digital representation created by medical illustrators Alissa Eckert and Dan Higgins for the Centers for Disease...
- Colette Gaiter
Nov 27, 2021 · The Covid-19 variant that emerged in South Africa was named after the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. The naming system, announced by the World Health Organization in May, makes public...
- Vimal Patel
- Understanding Variant Classifications
- Variants Being Monitored
- Variants of Interest
- Variants of Concern
- Variants of High Consequence
- De-Escalated Variants
- The Bottom Line?
Scientists continue to monitor both existing and new strains of COVID-19, categorizing each one into a variant class. The variant class helps determine the best way to fight the virus, including vaccines, treatments and diagnostics.
A variant being monitored (VBM) is one that is no longer detected or is circulating only at very low levels in the U.S and no longer poses a significant threat to the American population. The CDC continues to monitor these variants to keep watch for a potential uptick. If such a shift is detected, the variant would be re-classified to a variant of ...
A variant of interest (VOI) is defined as a strain that meets both the following criteria: 1. It has genetic changes that could affect how contagious it is, how sick it makes people or how well vaccines work against it. 2. It has led to increased community spread or caused clusters in multiple countries—more people are getting sick in more places. ...
A strain is upgraded to a variant of concern (VOC) if it meets the criteria for a VOI, plus at least one of the following: 1. It is more contagious. 2. It causes more severe disease. 3. Public health measures such as vaccines, tests and treatments are not as effective. Omicron is currently the only variant the WHO classifies as a VOC. Past VOC vari...
In addition to meeting the definition of a variant of concern, a variant of high concern (VOHC) is defined by the following: 1. It isn’t detected well enough by tests or doesn’t meet testing targets. 2. There is a significant reduction in vaccine effectiveness, an unexpectedly high percentage of vaccinated people have been infected or vaccines don’...
Variants can also be de-escalated or downgraded from a previous status. The CDC does this when the variant no longer meets criteria for a VOI, VOC or VOHC. Here are the reasons the new forms of SARS-CoV-2 have been downgraded: 1. The[KE2]new form is no longer spreading. 2. It has been spreading for a long time without affecting the overall health s...
“As always, it’s critical to stay up-to-date on your vaccines so you stay ahead of the virus,” Dr. Forrester said. “Any immunity is better than no immunity, and data clearly shows that vaccinated and boosted people are much less likely to develop severe illness or need hospital care.”
Nov 30, 2021 · Omicron is the 15th letter of the 24-letter Greek alphabet. When the WHO runs out of Greek letters to use, it will announce a new naming system for variants. This time around, the WHO did skip...
May 31, 2021 · Coronavirus variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid misreporting and stigmatising nations where they were first detected, the World Health Organization (WHO) has...
Dec 20, 2023 · CNN — The virus that causes Covid-19 has more letters to describe its many derivatives than a bowl of alphabet soup. Omicron and Delta were names for the coronavirus that people quickly learned...
