[set fair (OP)]

In particular is anyone looking for antibodies specific to epitopes that were on previous variants but not on the Kent variant?

There must be a sizeable pool of people who were infected in the first wave and are at high risk of infection because of their job and/or lack of adherence to restrictions and/or a poor immune system and any other susceptibilities. Such people would select for the new variant and it would be helpful to get an idea of how much of a driver they are for the rise of the new variant.