Early Warning Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variants, United Kingdom, November 2021–September 2022
Sarah Foulkes
1, Edward J.M. Monk
1, Dominic Sparkes, Nipunadi Hettiarachchi, Iain D. Milligan, Katie Munro, Andrew Taylor-Kerr, Naomi Platt, Anna Howells, Jerry Ye Aung Kyaw, Enemona Adaji, Eileen Gallagher, Jameel Khawam, Edgar Wellington, Lesley Price, David Crossman, Chris Norman, Elen de Lacy, Lisa Cromey, Diane Corrigan, Angie Lackenby, Paola Barbero, Busayo Elegunde, Maria Zambon, Meera A. Chand, Colin S. Brown, Jasmin Islam, Ana Atti, Susan Hopkins, Victoria J. Hall
2, Michelle J. Cole
2 , and
the SIREN Study Group3
Author affiliations: UK Health Security Agency, London, UK (S. Foulkes, E.J.M. Monk, D. Sparkes, N. Hettiarachchi, I.D. Milligan, K. Munro, A. Taylor-Kerr, N. Platt, A. Howells, J. Ye Aung Kyaw, E. Adaji, E. Gallagher, J. Khawam, E. Wellington, A. Lackenby, P. Barbero, B. Elegunde, M. Zambon, M.A. Chand, C.S. Brown, J. Islam, A. Atti, S. Hopkins, V. Hall, M.J. Cole); Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London (I.D. Milligan); Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (L. Price); Public Health Scotland Glasgow Office, Glasgow (L. Price); University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland, UK (D. Crossman); Health and Care Research Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK (C. Norman); Public Health Wales, Cardiff (E. de Lacy); Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK (L. Cromey, D. Corrigan); Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London (M.A. Chand); Royal Free Hospital, London (C.S. Brown); National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, London (S. Hopkins, V.J. Hall)
Main Article
Figure 2
Figure 2. Number of sequenced samples by variant per week in SIREN early warning system, United Kingdom, March 2020–June 2022. The SIREN study tested healthcare workers every 2 weeks via PCR and sequenced PCR-positive samples. We have plotted all samples successfully sequenced and assigned a variant call or unclassified lineage. Dates of detection are noted for each variant. Of note, among >44,000 UK healthcare workers from 135 secondary care health organizations, we detected 521 cases of unclassified variants, 323 cases of Alpha, 1,042 cases of Delta, 83 cases of Delta plus, 1,487 cases of Omicron BA.1, 1,514 cases of Omicron BA.2, 4 cases of XE, 51 cases of Omicron BA.4, and 236 cases of Omicron BA.5. SIREN, SARS-CoV-2 Immunity and Reinfection.
Main Article
Page created: November 18, 2022
Page updated: December 22, 2022
Page reviewed: December 22, 2022
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.