LUXEMBOURG– Eurofins Environment Testing adds Omicron variant detection capabilities to its commercially available SARS-CoV-2 test portfolio. The Omicron variant has been identified as a ‘variant of concern’ by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the high number of mutations in the spike protein and indications of high transmissibility.
The monitoring of wastewater, environmental surface, air and worn mask testing, available as part of the Eurofins COVID-19 Sentinel™ and SAFER@WORK™ programs, provides an early warning of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants amongst large populations or at a given site. This provides crucial information for monitoring viral spread and allows for relevant containment measures to be put in place to avoid an outbreak of the disease even before symptom onset.
Eurofins Environment Testing is able to detect all known SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater, air, environmental surfaces and worn masks. Utilizing single point mutations in RT-qPCR, the currently dominant Delta variant can be distinguished from other variants including the new Omicron variant.
