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Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2—What Do They Mean?

Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article
1 Credit CME

Over the course of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, the clinical, scientific, and public health communities have had to respond to new viral genetic variants. Each one has triggered a flurry of media attention, a range of reactions from the scientific community, and calls from governments to either “stay calm” or pursue immediate countermeasures. While many scientists were initially skeptical about the significance of the D614G alteration, the emergence of the new “UK variant”—lineage B.1.1.7—has raised widespread concern. Understanding which variants are concerning, and why, requires an appreciation of virus evolution and the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2.

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Article Information

Corresponding Author: Adam S. Lauring, MD, PhD, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, 1150 W Medical Center Dr, MSRB1 5510B, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5680 (alauring@med.umich.edu).

Published Online: January 6, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.27124

Correction: This article was corrected on February 15, 2021, to fix the heading “Spike N453Y and Mink” to the correct substitution of Y453F.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Lauring reported receiving personal fees from Sanofi as a consultant on oseltamivir and influenza and personal fees from Roche as a member of a steering committee for a clinical trial of baloxavir and influenza, outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

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AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

  • 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
  • 1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
  • 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
  • 1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
  • 1.00 credit toward the CME [and Self-Assessment requirements] of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.

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