Neutralization heterogeneity of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants to sera elicited by a vaccinee or convalescent

COVID-19, which was first reported in December 2019 in China, has caused a global outbreak. Five variants of concern (VOCs) have been identified in different countries since the global pandemic, namely, Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.529). Although multiple vaccines have been found to be effective, some of the amino acid changes may increase the infectivity of virus and decrease the sensitivity to antibodies. Here we characterize the VOCs and discuss their sensitivity to antibodies elicited by convalescent and vaccinee sera. In conclusion, several variants display a reduction in the susceptibility to neutralization antibodies generated by natural infection or vaccination, which threatens the containment of the epidemic.