Authors: Scott, L, Hsiao, N-Y, Moyo, S, Singh, Tegally, H, Dor, G, Maes, P, Pybus, OG, Kraemer, MUG, Semenova, E, Bhatt, Flaxman, Faria, NR, De Oliveira, T

Venue: Science

Type: Publication

Abstract: On 26 November, the newly emerged variant Omicron was designated a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant of concern (VOC) (1). Rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results could improve estimates of the prevalence of Omicron around the world. The widely used Thermo Fisher TaqPath COVID-19 PCR assay was valuable in tracking the spread of the Alpha (B.1.1.7) VOC (2) because a deletion of amino acids 69 and 70 in Alpha’s spike gene (Δ69–70) yields a distinct absent S-gene (S−) despite positive test resul... (read more)

DOI: 10.1126/science.abn4543