Thread by @NathanGrubaugh

🧬10/28 Connecticut #SARSCoV2 variant surveillance
@CovidCT | @jacksonlab | @CTDPH | @YaleSPH | @Yalemed

👑Delta - 100% (408/408)

📊Top lineages
55% = B.1.617.2
19% = AY.25
9% = AY.3
5% = AY.20
3% = AY.39
3% = AY.24
2% = AY.26

short 🧵 | Report 👉
covidtrackerct.com/variant-survei…

Much of the discussion is still about AY.4.2, which is still slowly 📈 in the UK, which they have designated as a 'variant under investigation' (VUI). (2/6)

https://twitter.com/jcbarret/status/1452608971353821189

The early estimates are that AY.4.2 is ~15% more transmissible, which you can learn more about in this great 🧵. (3/6)

https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1451828458544369667

In the US, bonafide AY.4.2 sequences with at least 2/3 of NSP3:A1711V, S:Y145H, or S:A222V are quite rare. Probably less than 10. We haven't sequenced any from Connecticut yet. (4/6)

https://twitter.com/alexbolze/status/1453118911939899392

With our own tracking, the effective reproductive numbers (Rt) for the most common Delta lineages in Connecticut are dropping < 1 (indicating that transmission is 📉). We also don't see any differences that would suggest one is more transmissible. (5/6)

I'll have more on this tomorrow, but I wanted to take another opportunity to thank @JosephFauver for all the work that he did to establish our surveillance system! He's been a HUGE part of our success.

Thank you, man cub 🦁 (6/6)

https://twitter.com/JosephFauver/status/1453104122882842631

PS. Adding this to the thread. AY.4.2 does not seem to directly lower vaccine effectiveness. However, if it causes an increase in cases due to higher transmissibility, it could slightly lower VE through more exposures.

BTW @kallmemeg is worth the follow for the AY.4.2 info.

https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1454049832910340104