Shorter serial intervals in SARS-CoV-2 cases with Omicron BA.1 variant compared with Delta variant, the Netherlands, 13 to 26 December 2021
Jantien A Backer, Dirk Eggink, Stijn P Andeweg, Irene K Veldhuijzen, Noortje van Maarseveen, Klaas Vermaas, Boris Vlaemynck, Raf Schepers, Susan van den Hof, Chantal BEM Reusken, Jacco Wallinga
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has a growth advantage over the Delta variant because of higher transmissibility, immune evasion or shorter serial interval. Using S gene target failure (SGTF) as indication for Omicron BA.1, we identified 908 SGTF and 1,621 non-SGTF serial intervals in the same period. Within households, the mean serial interval for SGTF cases was 0.2-0.6 days shorter than for non-SGTF cases. This suggests that the growth advantage of Omicron is partly due to a shorter serial interval.
Topics & Concepts
Interval (graph theory)Serial passageEvasion (ethics)MedicinePhysicsDeltaMathematicsBiologyCombinatoricsSerial memory processingSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesLong-Term Effects of COVID-19