Hotspots for SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant spread: Lessons from New York City

The coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is still challenging public health systems worldwide, particularly with the emergence of novel SARS‐CoV‐2 variants with mutations that increase their transmissibility and immune escape. This is the case of the variant of concern Omicron that rapidly s...

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Published inJournal of medical virology Vol. 94; no. 7; pp. 2911 - 2914
Main Authors Ramírez, Juan D., Castañeda, Sergio, Ballesteros, Nathalia, Muñoz, Marina, Hernández, Matthew, Banu, Radhika, Shrestha, Paras, Chen, Feng, Shi, Huanzhi, Bakel, Harm, Simon, Viviana, Cordon‐Cardo, Carlos, Sordillo, Emilia M., Paniz‐Mondolfi, Alberto E.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2022
John Wiley and Sons Inc
Subjects
Biological properties
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Dispersal
Epidemiology
genetic variability evolution
Genomics
Mutation
Pandemics
Public health
SARS coronavirus classification
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Vaccination
Vaccines
Viral diseases
Virology
United Kingdom > UK
United States > US
New York City New York
genetic variability evolution
epidemiology
SARS coronavirus classification
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Summary:The coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is still challenging public health systems worldwide, particularly with the emergence of novel SARS‐CoV‐2 variants with mutations that increase their transmissibility and immune escape. This is the case of the variant of concern Omicron that rapidly spread globally. Here, using epidemiological and genomic data we compared the situations in South Africa as the epicenter of emergence, United Kingdom, and with particular interest New York City. This rapid global dispersal from the place of first report reemphasizes the high transmissibility of Omicron, which needed only two weeks to become dominant in the United Kingdom and New York City. Our analyses suggest that as SARS‐CoV‐2 continues to evolve, global authorities must prioritize equity in vaccine access and continued genomic surveillance. Future studies are still needed to fully unveil the biological properties of Omicron, but what is certain is that vaccination, large‐scale testing, and infection prevention efforts are the greatest arsenal against the COVID‐19 pandemic.
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ISSN:0146-6615
1096-9071
1096-9071
DOI:10.1002/jmv.27691