Characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Beijing during 2022: an epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis

Impact of National Omicron Outbreak at the end of 2022 on the future outlook of COVID-19 in China

“…However, the outbreak was quickly coming down and the most recent report indicated that the leading viral strains in this round of outbreak were mainly BA.5.2 and BF.7, the sublineages of Omicron, representing about 90% cases ( https://www.chinacdc.cn/ ), although the founder effect could not be excluded. There were no new emerging variants in the short period of outbreak [ 6 ]. This report was reassuring.…”

“…Knowing that only a few Omicron variants caused the National Omicron Outbreak in China and the very fact that no novel variants occurred during that period [ 6 ] helps answer the next question: will China become the place after opening up to produce future unknown variants which will be vastly different from current circulating variants in the world?…”

Omicron breakthrough infections in wild-type SARS-CoV-2 vaccinees elicit high levels of neutralizing antibodies against pangolin coronavirus GX_P2V

“…In early December 2022, China lifted its COVID-zero policy, followed shortly by the quick spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant across most parts of the country. 2 Although vaccination with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 vaccines did not appear to provide significant protection against Omicron in Beijing, most people only experienced influenza-like symptoms. By February 2023, only sporadic COVID cases were reported each day, indicating that herd immunity against Omicron variants was achieved in a relatively short period in China.…”

Using an influenza surveillance system to estimate the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Beijing, China, weeks 2 to 6 2023

“…From early December 2022, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic greatly impacted major cities in China, including Beijing [1], as a result of the predominant and highly transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron (Phylogenetic Assignment of Named Global Outbreak (Pango) lineage designation: B.1.1.529) subvariant BF.7 [2][3][4]. Following the adjustment of China's 'zero-COVID' policy, which included the termination of universal nucleic acid testing, the accurate number of SARS-CoV-2 infections was challenging to determine.…”