# Emergence, Progression and Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in West Virginia

> **NIH NIH U54** · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $678,030

## Abstract

PROGRAM SUMMARY
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has swept the globe resulting in millions of deaths. Recent descriptions of
variants have raised concerns regarding the impact on the effectiveness of COVID-19 therapies and preventive
strategies including monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. Though COVID vaccine scale-up in West Virginia is
currently among the best in the nation, West Virginia’s population is highly vulnerable to emergent variants that
may impact the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. To suppress the
ongoing pandemic it is critical to identify, track and isolate new variants before they spread and bring a wave of
disease that is resistant to current vaccines. Noteworthy is that we have already established high throughput
SARS-CoV-2 sequencing with long-standing collaborations between Marshall University, West Virginia
University, and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. We are well positioned to provide
rapid, impactful information regarding the prevalence, changing patterns, and clinical outcomes with respect to
variants as well as on the effect of variants among those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. This project
will sequence SARS-CoV-2 from heterogeneous populations by leveraging three existing testing programs that
include: 1) the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnosis in Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) that has already tested
over 1,500 persons throughout the state, 2) surveillance testing among nursing home residents and staff, and 3)
university surveillance testing. Through the RADx-UP initiative, testing is currently conducted in 37 counties; all
positive tests will be sent for sequencing, enabling assessment of variants in disparate locations in West Virginia
– some within 40 minutes of the metro Washington DC area and others in remote rural locations. Moreover, the
WV RADx-UP initiative is also conducting testing among communities of color (predominantly Black/African
American) enabling description of variants among this group in comparison to the general population of WV.
Relevant to nursing home populations, age has been associated with lower antibody levels in both the Moderna
and Pfizer Phase 3 vaccine trials. Nursing home patients may be more likely to have suboptimal immunity, a
scenario that is ripe for emergence of existing or novel variants. Finally, university students by virtue of their
mobility and variable adherence to social distancing measures suggest fertile ground for emergence of variants.
Sequencing of all isolates from the WVU surveillance testing program will provide an excellent opportunity to
assess cases caused by variants over time. As this project will support SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in multiple
West Virginia populations, we are confident that this surveillance sequencing will quickly identify variant
emergence and distributions so as appropriate public health measures may be implemented.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10381294
- **Project number:** 3U54GM104942-06S1
- **Recipient organization:** WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Sally Lynn Hodder
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $678,030
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2012-08-15 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10381294

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10381294, Emergence, Progression and Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in West Virginia (3U54GM104942-06S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10381294. Licensed CC0.

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