The Omicron strain is currently the main dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2, with a large number of sublineages. In this article, we present our experience in tracing it in Russia using molecular diagnostic methods. For this purpose, different approaches were used; for example, we developed multiprimer panels for RT-PCR and Sanger and NGS sequencing methods. For the centralized collection and analysis of samples, the VGARus database was developed, which currently includes more than 300,000 viral sequences.
Keywords: Omicron; RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2 variants; surveillance.