The document outlines the options available for testing, handling and isolation of samples, techniques for characterization, standardization of methods and reporting of results. It also describes the laboratory support and information exchange that ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe can provide to countries in the European Region.
The antigenic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 variants analyzes the properties of the virus to help assess whether it is associated with another virus. This is essential to assess the efficacy and immunogenicity of the vaccine, to select the appropriate virus strain (s) for vaccine development, and to monitor resistance to antiviral therapies. The antigenic properties of SARS-CoV-2 variants can be characterized by techniques such as plaque neutralization, microneutralization, and pseudovirus neutralization assay.
Rapid sharing of clinical samples and / or virus isolates and antigenic data is crucial when a variant with potentially new antigenic properties emerges. In such cases, antigen data should be shared immediately with the ECDC, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Monitoring Networks. The transmission of samples to reference laboratories can be supported through the WHO transmission mechanism.
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