COVID-19 pandemic

=== Variants ===
{{Main|Variants of SARS-CoV-2}}
Several variants have been named by WHO and labelled as a [[variant of concern]] (VoC) or a [[variant of interest]] (VoI). Many of these variants have shared the more infectious [[D614G]]. As of May 2023, the WHO had downgraded all variants of concern to previously circulating as these were no longer detected in new infections.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 25 May 2023 |url=https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---25-may-2023 |website=www.who.int |access-date=26 May 2023 }}</ref><ref name="CDC2">{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Statement on the update of WHO's working definitions and tracking system for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants of interest |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/16-03-2023-statement-on-the-update-of-who-s-working-definitions-and-tracking-system-for-sars-cov-2-variants-of-concern-and-variants-of-interest |website=www.who.int |access-date=26 May 2023 }}</ref> Sub-lineages of the Omicron variant (BA.1 – BA.5) were considered separate VoCs by the WHO until they were downgraded in March 2023 as no longer widely circulating.<ref name=CDC2/>
[[File:WHO EN 3 Working Together 03Mar2021.webm|thumb|279x279px|[[World Health Organization]] video which describes how variants proliferate in unvaccinated areas]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+Variants of concern (past and present)<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-classifications.html |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=30 October 2022 |date=11 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants |url=https://www.who.int/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants |website=www.who.int |access-date=7 November 2022 }}</ref>
! Name !! Lineage !! Detected !! Countries !! Priority
|-
| [[SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant|Alpha]] || [[Lineage B.1.1.7|B.1.1.7]] ||UK|| 190 || VoC
|-
| [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta]] || [[Lineage B.1.351|B.1.351]] ||South Africa|| 140 || VoC
|-
| [[SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant|Delta]] || [[Lineage B.1.617.2|B.1.617.2]] ||India|| 170 ||VoC
|-
|[[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma]] || [[Lineage P.1|P.1]] ||Brazil|| 90 ||VoC
|-
|[[SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant|Omicron]] || [[Lineage B.1.1.529|B.1.1.529]] || Botswana || 149 ||VoC
|}