Variants of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in Mexico

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to the virus transmission and propagation since its origin, numerous mutations and variants have occurred. The concern relies on the ability to evade natural immunity and cause infections, even bypassing the immunity generated after the application of vaccines. The World Health Organization classified the variants into “variants of interest” (VOI) and “variants of concern” (VOC). From 2020 to 2021, the VOC variants were the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta types, currently adding the omicron variant. On the other hand, the VOI variants were the eta, iota, kappa, lambda, and mu types. The importance of their study leads to the problem of the possible generation of new waves of contagion, after their appearance, with a high possibility that the immunity known as herd achieved with some previous variant does not become effective.