Estimating the strength of selection for new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

ABSTRACT: Controlling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic becomes increasingly challenging as the virus adapts to human hosts through the continual emergence of more transmissible variants. Simply observing that a variant is increasing in frequency is relatively straightforward, but more sophisticated methodology is needed to determine whether a new variant is a global threat and the magnitude of its selective advantage. We present two models for quantifying the strength of selection for new and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 relative to the background of contemporaneous variants. These methods range from a detailed model of dynamics within one country to a broad analysis across all countries, and they include alternative explanations such as migration and drift. We find evidence for strong selection favoring

SUBMITTER: Dorp CHV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8671537 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature