Genomic Surveillance for Monitoring Variants of Concern: SARS-CoV-2 Delta, Omicron, and Beyond

Abstract

The continuing emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants has perpetuated the current pandemic far beyond initial expectations. It is now likely that this virus is here to stay. Thus, a new infrastructure is required for monitoring and tracking of viral outbreaks which includes epidemiological and genomic surveillance. More effective monitoring will support rapid response times required for development of new treatments and vaccines to help manage the spread of the current virus and prepare the platforms required for future pandemics.