Which database served as the central clearinghouse for SARS-CoV-2 sequences during the pandemic?

Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID)

When the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated extremely rapid global monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, existing frameworks designed for other pathogens were leveraged and scaled up. The Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database was adapted to become the primary clearinghouse mechanism for uploading and sharing the genetic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 collected worldwide. This rapid pivot allowed researchers globally to quickly identify and track the emergence and spread of critical variants, such as Delta and Omicron. The success of this response relied heavily on pre-existing cultural and technical groundwork that favored rapid, broad data exchange, principles that were informed by earlier genomic research ethics.