Generation time of the alpha and delta SARS-CoV-2 variants: an epidemiological analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In May, 2021, the delta (B.1.617.2) SARS-CoV-2 variant became dominant in the UK, superseded by the omicron (B.1.1.529) variant in December, 2021. The delta variant is associated with increased transmissibility compared with the alpha variant, which was the dominant variant in the UK between December, 2020, and May, 2021. To understand transmission and the effectiveness of interventions, we aimed to investigate whether the delta variant generation time (the interval between infections in infector-infectee pairs) is shorter-ie, transmissions are happening more quickly-than that of the alpha variant.

Methods

In this epidemiological analysis, we analysed transmission data from an ongoing UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prospective household study. Households were r

SUBMITTER: Hart WS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8843191 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature