Category Archives: diagnostic article

New variant clustering in households analysis

Summary of request This analysis uses data from the COVID-19 Infection Survey up to 21 December 2020. The analysis looks to establish whether there are patterns in the associations of different types of positives within household pairs. This analysis was undertaken by Thomas House, University of Manchester Date of publication: 29th December 2020 Contents: Data: […]

New evidence on VUI-202012/01 and review of the public health risk assessment

NOVEL VARIANT INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND WITH IMPERIAL COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM AND THE WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE Update on the submission of 11/12/20 New information:1. Investigation of S gene target failure cases and new epidemiology data2. Modelling on transmissibility3. Proposed risk assessment NERVTAG is asked to▪ Note the […]

NERVTAG meetingon SARS-CoV-2 variant under investigation VUI-202012/01

New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group Note of meeting Date & Location of meeting: 11:00 –13.00 18December2020 -Via telecon only In attendance: Chair: Peter Horby (PH) NERVTAG Members: Peter Openshaw (PO), Andrew Hayward (AH),Wei Shen Lim (WSL),Julian Hiscox (JHi),John Edmunds (JE), Neil Ferguson (NF), Robert Dingwall (RD),Muge Cevik (MCe), Wendy Barclay (WB), Jim McMenamin […]

NERVTAG COVID-19 VOC communication 21122020 final

New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group Note of meeting Date & Location: 12:00 –13.30 21 December 2020 -Via telecon only In attendance: Chair: Peter Horby (PH) NERVTAG Members: Andrew Hayward (AH), Julian Hiscox (JHi), John Edmunds (JE), Neil Ferguson (NF), Wendy Barclay (WB),Wei Shen Lim (WSL), Cariad Evans (CE) SPI-M: Angela McLean (AM), Graham […]

Statement from Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, about new strain of COVID-19

New strain of COVID-19 reported to World Health Organization. Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, said: “As announced on Monday, the UK has identified a new variant of COVID-19 through Public Health England’s genomic surveillance.”   “As a result of the rapid spread of the new variant, preliminary modelling data and rapidly rising […]

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variant from South Africa identified in UK

Two cases of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, which originated in South Africa, have been identified in the UK. The 2 cases were identified in the UK on 22 December 2020 and both have been in contact with someone who has travelled from South Africa. Public Health England’s Health Protection Teams have followed up with both […]

CPR as an AGP – Evidence review and NERVTAG consensus

New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group NERVTAG was asked to undertake an evidence review to consider whether chest compressions and defibrillation are associated with an increased risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections. Furthermore, it was asked to give an opinion on whether chest compressions and defibrillation should be considered to be aerosol […]

SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow antigen tests: evaluation of VUI-202012/01

Published 23 December 2020 Detection of an epidemiological cluster associated with a new variant of concern 1. Working with academic collaborators at the University of Oxford, PHE Porton Down has been evaluating the performance of lateral flow devices (LFDs) since mid-August 2020. Over 60 have been considered to date, approximately 30% of which have progressed to extended evaluation […]

Investigation of novel SARS-COV-2 variant-Variant of Concern 202012/01

Variant of Concern 202012/01 Detection of an epidemiological cluster associated with a new variant of concern Analysis of routinely available genomic data in Kent, England was undertaken as part of an epidemiological investigation to investigate increasing incidence on 8 December 2020. Although only 4% (255/6130) of Kent cases had available genomes through COG-UK sequencing, a […]

Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant

Technical briefing 13 27 May 2021 This briefing provides an update on previous briefings up to 22 May 202 Summary There are 5 variants of concern and 9 variants under investigation (Table 1). This report has been published to continue to share detailed surveillance of VOC-21APR02 (B.1.617.2) and information on a new variant under investigation […]