Thread by @Ayjchan

This is why we need both sequencing of circulating sars2 virus and extensive testing and contact tracing. It will help to figure out whether the faster spread of a particular variant is due to a new set of mutations or due to a superspreading event. washingtonpost.com/health/british…

There’s a reason why superspreading events are called superspreading events. The spread is explosive, reaching beyond the event itself into new communities and infecting dozens of people who didn’t even attend the event. washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12…

“A new analysis of the Biogen event at a Boston hotel has concluded that the coronavirus strains loosed at the meeting have since migrated worldwide, infecting about 245,000 Americans — and potentially as many as 300,000 — by the end of October.”

nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/…

When we hear about a new sars2 variant spreading faster, the investigators have a lot of work cut out for them. They have to sequence virus isolates widely and test+trace cases to see if the faster spread is actually (likely) due to superspreading events or due to a new mutation.