The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 VOC 20I/501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7 lineage) and its spread in Switzerland from the beginning of 2021 has led to an increased need for identifying the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this Webinar, the processes put in place for identifying the presence of the VOC 20I/501Y.V1 variant in samples from the Neuchâtel area will be described, from the early RT-qPCR S-dropout screening to the full viral genome sequencing. Together with a retrospective sample sequencing approach, viral genome sequencing enabled investigation of how the landscape of virus lineages present in the population changed with the apparition of the VOC 20I/501Y.V1 variant. It also allowed monitoring of the rise and spread of other variants carrying specific spike protein substitutions.
