SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and definitions

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (U.S.). Division of Viral Diseases.
• Description:
  Updated Dec. 1, 2021
  
  Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 continuously evolve as changes in the genetic code (genetic mutations) occur during replication of the genome. A lineage is a genetically closely related group of virus variants derived from a common ancestor. A variant has one or more mutations that differentiate it from other variants of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses. As expected, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been documented in the United States and globally throughout this pandemic. To inform local outbreak investigations and understand national trends, scientists compare genetic differences between viruses to identify variants and how they are related to each other.
  
  
• Content Notes:
  Key Definitions -- Key Points -- How Variants Are Classified -- Variants Being Monitored (VBM) -- Variant of Interest (VOI) -- Variant of Concern (VOC) -- Variant of High Consequence (VOHC) -- References,
• Subjects:
  Coronavirus Infections COVID-19/virology Evolution, Molecular Genome, Viral Mutation Phylogeny SARS-CoV-2/classification SARS-CoV-2/genetics
• Document Type:
  Webpage
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:53db3a8e5de13502c0be8c74240d331588621671a047a7ebb98d52a7159312f5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/112177/cdc_112177_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 658.48 KB ]