The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 was monitored by experts as of January 2020, and later in the year specific Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of 122 Concern (VOCs) were characterised, as the emergence of variants posed an increased risk to public health worldwide. [...] investments (known funding Here, we present the scope of funded research activity focussed on identified or amounts): potential variants of COVID-19, drawing on evidence from the October 2022 update of the Living Mapping Review (LMR) of COVID-19 funded research projects and the $64.9m UKCDR/GLOPID-R COVID-19 Research Project Tracker. [...] The identified projects include those investigating factors such as the natural history of the NIH 32 disease, phenotypic change and adaptation of COVID-19, adaptive immunity, and the related implications for vaccine CIHR 28 effectiveness, and how to respond to variants of concern UKRI 11 for COVID-19. [...] The next highest was South Africa (12) Research focus and WHO research priorities When analysing the projects further, the six sub-priority areas of most interest were: The majority of “new variant” projects were coded against the priority area of ‘Virus: natural history, transmission and diagnos- • 1c: Development of tools and conduct studies to monitor tics’ (86 projects). [...] This would be expected due to the nature of phenotypic change and potential adaptation (49 projects); the topic, which concerns knowledge about the virus and how it • 1d: Characterization of immunity (35); adapts, and the implications for vaccines and therapeutics.
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