The rise of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 in Israel intensifies the role of surveillance and vaccination in elderly

Since the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic various generic variants have been described. Of specific interest is a new variant, which was observed in England during December 2020 and is now termed B.1.1.7. This variant is now associated with increased infectivity and therefore its spread within the community is of great importance. The Israeli government established three noteworthy programs namely, mass PCR testing, focused protection of the elderly and more recently an unparalleled prioritized vaccination program. In this study we analyzed primary data of >300,000 RT-PCR samples collected throughout December 6th 2020 until February 10th 2021 in the general community and nursing homes. We identified that within a period of six weeks, the B.1.1.7 variant was capable of out competing the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 strain to become the main strain. Furthermore, we show that the transmission of B.1.1.7 in the 60+ population reached a near complete halt, due to an ongoing surveillance testing program in nursing homes and the vaccination program of Israel. Thus, proactive protection programs such as routine surveillance and monitoring of populations at risk combined with prioritized vaccination, is achievable and will result in a reduction of severe illness and subsequent death.

SARS-CoV-2 serological testing using electrochemiluminescence reveals arapid onset of seroconversion in severe COVID-19 patients

Despite ongoing efforts to characterize the host response toward SARS-CoV-2, a major gap in our knowledge still exists regarding the magnitude and duration of the humoral response. We report the development of a rapid, highly specific and sensitive electrochemiluminescent assay for detecting IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies toward two distinct SARS-CoV-2 antigens namely, the receptor binding domain (RBD) and the nuclear protein (NP). Whereas IgM antibodies toward RBD were detected at early stages of the disease, IgM antibodies against NP did not develop. Analysis of the antibody response in mild versus moderate/severe patients revealed a rapid onset of IgG and IgA antibodies, specifically in moderate/severe patients. Finally, we observed a marked reduction in IgM/IgA antibodies and to lesser extent, IgG, over time. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the human antibody response, and has major implications on our understanding and monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 infections, as well as finding effective vaccines. One Sentence SummaryUsing a newly developed assay to detect anti-SARS-Cov-2 IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies we reveal a rapid onset of IgG and IgA antibodies towards distinct viral antigens, specifically in moderate/severe COVID-19 patients,