The UK will offer its genomic expertise to the international community with the aim of aiding the identification of new variants of COVID-19, the government has announced.
Countries who do not have the resources to identify new strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, will be offered UK capacity to analyse emerging variants.
The New Variant Assessment Platform will be led by Public Health England (PHE), working with NHS Test and Trace and academic partners, as well as the World Health Organization’s SARS-CoV-2 Global Laboratory Working Group.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said in a statement that eventually the new platform will be led by the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP), involving PHE laboratories and staff as well as academic partner capabilities.
To apply for assistance, countries will contact the World Health Organization if an existing channel does not already exist with the UK.
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http://www.pharmatimes.com/news/uk_will_offer_its_genomic_expertise_worldwide_to_identify_new_covid-19_variants_1362154