Genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2—what do they mean?

AS Lauring, EB Hodcroft - Jama, 2021 - jamanetwork.com
Over the course of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
pandemic, the clinical, scientific, and public health communities have had to respond to new
viral genetic variants. Each one has triggered a flurry of media attention, a range of reactions
from the scientific community, and calls from governments to either “stay calm” or pursue
immediate countermeasures. While many scientists were initially skeptical about the
significance of the D614G alteration, the emergence of the new “UK variant”—lineage B. 1.1 …