SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Vaccines

Philip R. Krause, Thomas R. Fleming, Ira M. Longini, Richard Peto, Sylvie Briand, David L. Heymann, Valerie Beral, Matthew D. Snape, Helen Rees, Alba-Maria Ropero, Ran D. Balicer, Jakob P. Cramer, César Muñoz‐Fontela, Marion F. Gruber, Rogerio Gaspar, Jerome Amir Singh, Kanta Subbarao, Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Soumya Swaminathan, Michael J. Ryan, Ana‐Maria Henao‐Restrepo

2021New England Journal of Medicine425 citationsDOI Open Access PDF

Abstract

Viral variants of concern may emerge with dangerous resistance to the immunity generated by the current vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Moreover, if some variants of concern have increased transmissibility or virulence, the importance of efficient public health measures and vaccination programs will increase. The global response must be both timely and science based.

Topics & Concepts

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Transmissibility (structural dynamics)VirologySevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)VirulenceVaccination2019-20 coronavirus outbreakImmunityCoronavirusPublic healthPandemicDiseaseBiologyMedicineImmunologyInfectious disease (medical specialty)GeneticsImmune systemOutbreakGeneNursingPhysicsQuantum mechanicsVibrationPathologyVibration isolationSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchViral Infections and Outbreaks ResearchCOVID-19 epidemiological studies