Guidance

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: 20 August 2021

Updated 21 April 2023

Position as of 16 August 2021.

Horizon scan

International epidemiology scan 12 August 2021
Imported sample mutation scan 12 August 2021
Signals in monitoring scan 2 August 2021
Phylogenetic cluster detection 10 August 2021
International mutation scan 10 August 2021
Domestic mutation scan 13 August 2021
Reinfections scan 13 June 2021
Vaccinees scan 13 July 2021
Signals investigated 5 July to 16 August 7
New genomes 5 July to 16 August 60,487

Note: Signals of individual mutations and new clusters are excluded until defined variant is identified.

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants detected in the UK

Variants of concern

Alpha (VOC-20DEC-01, B.1.1.7)
Beta (VOC-20DEC-02, B.1.351)
Gamma (VOC-21JAN-02, P.1)
Delta (VOC-21APR-02, B.1.617.2, AY.1, AY.2, and AY.3)

Variants under investigation

Eta (VUI-21FEB-03, B.1.525)
VUI-21FEB-04 (B.1.1.318)
Theta (VUI-21MAR-02, P.3)
Kappa (VUI-21APR-01, B.1.617.1)
VUI-21APR-03 (B.1.617.3)
VUI-21MAY-01 (AV.1)
VUI-21MAY-02 (C.36.3)
Lambda (VUI-21JUN-01, C.37)
VUI-21JUL-01 (B.1.621)

Signals currently under monitoring and investigation

A.30
A.27
AT.1
Alpha with S494P
Alpha with Q677H
B.1.214.2
Epsilon B.1.427/B.1.429
Iota B.1.526
B.1.633
B.1.619
B.1.620
B.1.629
C.1.2
R.1
B.1.630 and B.1.628

SARS-CoV-2 variants of public health interest: variants not detected in the UK

Variants provisionally extinct (not detected for 12 weeks in the UK or in GISAID)

VUI-21FEB-01 (A.23.1 with E484K)
VUI-21MAR-01 (B.1.324.1 with E484K)
VOC-21FEB-02 (Alpha with E484K)

International variants of concern

N/A

International variants under investigation

Zeta (VUI-21JAN-01, P.2)
VUI-21APR-03 (India)

International signals under monitoring

B.1 with 214insQAS
P.1 + N501T and E484Q