The Ministry of Health and Human Services through the National Public Health Laboratory, sends samples meeting the Caribbean Public Health Agencies (CARPHA) sampling criteria, for genomic sequencing. To date, the B.1.1.7 variant has been identified in a number of samples sent for sequencing from the TCI.
On June 10 2021, additional results from CARPHA were received from ten (10) samples which were submitted for sequencing. Of these samples six (6) were identified as variants of concern (VOC). Five samples were reported as the B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha variant) and one sample was positive for the P.1 or Gamma variant.
The World Health Organisation recently renamed the variants with Greek letters. The UK or B.1.1.7. variant is now known as the Alpha variant. The P.1. variant which has now been identified for the first time in the TCI, was previously known as the Brazilian variant and is now called the Gamma variant.
Additionally, 2 cases of the B.1.429 and one of the B.1526 variants were identified which are classified as variants of interest by the World Health Organisation as these may be associated with increased transmissibility.
Genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been emerging and circulating around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Variants of concern are variants for which there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures.
The vaccines in use in the TCI are effective against the variants identified locally thus far, however the efficacy may be somewhat reduced.
The fact that a number of the variants of concern which are in circulation globally can spread more easily from person to person and may be associated with a higher risk of hospitalization, reinforces the need for more persons to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the TCI. The vaccine continues to be offered free of cost to all TCI residents throughout the country. Persons are encouraged to register to get vaccinated on https://covidvaccineregistration.gov.tc/.
