As Omicron continues to evolve, WHO updates how it tracks and names new Covid variants

World Health Organization (WHO) is updating how it tracks and names Covid variants. As per a statement posted on the international health body's website, it will be updating the working definitions for variants of COVID-19, causing SARS-CoV-2. This is being done to "better correspond to the current global variant landscape, to independently evaluate Omicron sublineages in circulation, and classify new variants more clearly when required."

As per the WHO, Omicron is the "most divergent VOC (Variant Of Concern) seen to date."

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Even after three years of the pandemic, the coronavirus continues to mutate. As per WHO, "The Omicron viruses have continued to evolve genetically and antigenically with an expanding range of sublineages."

Until now, all Omicron sublineages have been classified as part of the Omicron VOC and "thus did not have the granularity needed to compare new descendent lineages with altered phenotypes to the Omicron parent lineages."

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Starting Wednesday (March 15), WHO will classify Omicron sublineages independently as Variant Under Monitoring (VUM), Variant Of Interest (VOI), and Variant Of Concern (VOC).

The health agency will also update the working definition of VOC and VOI, making the former definitions more specific to include major SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary steps that require major public health interventions.

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Additionally, going forward, Greek alphabets will be assigned to coronavirus VOCs, while for VOIs they will no longer be used. "With these changes factored in, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, as well as the Omicron parent lineage (B.1.1.529), are considered previously circulating VOCs. WHO has now classified XBB.1.5 as a VOI," said WHO in its statement. 

(With inputs from agencies)

 

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