> When using a weekly watch-list with a size of 20 variants (less than 0.5% of the weekly average of new variant sequences), EWS flagged 12 WHO designated variants out of 13 (Fig. 4.A), with an average of 58 days of lead time (i.e two months) before these were designated as such by the WHO (Table S.4).
> Our system however does not accurately pinpoint the emergence of the B.1.617.2 Delta family of variants. Delta is known to be neutralised by vaccines24 and its global prevalence can be attributed to other fitness-enhancing factors [than immune escape]. These factors, such as P681R mutation, which abrogates O-glycosylation, thus further enabling furin cleavage, are outside of the scope of our approach.
> Specifically, the EWS identified Omicron as the highest immune escaping variant over more than 70,000 variants discovered between early October and late November 2021.
> When using a weekly watch-list with a size of 20 variants (less than 0.5% of the weekly average of new variant sequences), EWS flagged 12 WHO designated variants out of 13 (Fig. 4.A), with an average of 58 days of lead time (i.e two months) before these were designated as such by the WHO (Table S.4).
> Our system however does not accurately pinpoint the emergence of the B.1.617.2 Delta family of variants. Delta is known to be neutralised by vaccines24 and its global prevalence can be attributed to other fitness-enhancing factors [than immune escape]. These factors, such as P681R mutation, which abrogates O-glycosylation, thus further enabling furin cleavage, are outside of the scope of our approach.
> Specifically, the EWS identified Omicron as the highest immune escaping variant over more than 70,000 variants discovered between early October and late November 2021.