Primer Design Bioinformatics Surveillance Report

Bioinformatic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab, S, M and nsp16 assays, against currently circulating variants and subvariants, confirm the assays demonstrate a level of sequence identity which predicts over 95.2% detection of all good quality1 SARS-CoV-2 sequences. The sequences analysed were published on the GISAID EpiCoV database and collected between 1st and 31st August 2023. Analysis was conducted on the variants outlined in the UKHSA SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence prevalence and growth rate update dated 30th August 2023: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sars-cov-2-genome-sequence-prevalence-and-growth-rate/sars-cov-2-genome-sequence-prevalence-and-growth-rate-update-30-august-2023#variant-prevalence. BA.2.86 has been included in the analysis due to recent media coverage.Novacyt Bioinformatics Report Sep 2023