Public health experts detected a new omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in at least 40 countries, including the United States, and they're currently studying its impact. This version of the coronavirus, which scientists call BA.2, is widely considered stealthier than the original version of omicron because particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect. Some scientists worry it could also be more contagious.UC Davis Health Pediatric Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Dean Blumberg joined sister station KCRA 3 Wednesday to answer questions about the emerging subvariant.Q: What can you tell us about the omicron subvariant and are you surprised?Dr. Blumberg: "These variants will always come about as the virus continues to be transmitted and replicated. It is difficult to put them into perspective. With this variant, it was discovered around Christmas. It's got 28 different mutations from the original omicron strain, it has 32 mutations that are similar, but it has increased in Denmark, Norway, Germany, South Africa, and the Philippines. And in Denmark, it accounts for 50% of the circulating strains."Q: Is this affecting some groups of people more than others?Dr. Blumberg: "One of the concerns in Denmark, where it’s becoming the predominant strain, is that the highest rate of hospitalization is occurring in children from birth to two years of age. The second most affected group is those over 80 years of age. So, we haven't seen that before. As a pediatrician, that deeply concerns me."Q: Why is the subvariant getting so much attention?Dr. Blumberg: "Because it has increased so rapidly in so many cases, and we have not seen the leveling off like we have seen here in California. In some other countries where this has been detected, such as Denmark and Israel, they are still seeing skyrocketing rates of cases, so the concern is that it may be 40% more transmissible compared to the previous omicron strain."Q: Is it normal for subvariants to emerge and spread this fast?Dr. Blumberg: "It is hard to know what normal is in the age of COVID-19, isn’t it? We keep getting surprising keep getting these mutations. Until we get a high rate of immunity around the world, we will continue to get development of new strains, new variants and new surprises."Q: If I got omicron, do I have any natural immunity to the subvariant?Dr. Blumberg: "There have already been reports of patients infected with the original omicron strain, and within a month getting infected with this strain too, so there is some suggestion it’s different enough from the previous strain that it is possible that previous infection-induced immunity may not provide that much protection."Q: What is really the difference when we have a new variant from the subvariant? Dr. Blumberg: "Some people have called it the stealth variant and I think that's a very poor name. We can detect it with our currently available diagnostic tests, so whether this does end up as a separate variant or it does get a new Greek letter, we would just have to see what the World Health Organization says."Watch the full interview in the video above.
Public health experts detected a new omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in at least 40 countries, including the United States, and they're currently studying its impact.
This version of the coronavirus, which scientists call BA.2, is widely considered stealthier than the original version of omicron because particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect. Some scientists worry it could also be more contagious.
UC Davis Health Pediatric Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Dean Blumberg joined sister station KCRA 3 Wednesday to answer questions about the emerging subvariant.
Q: What can you tell us about the omicron subvariant and are you surprised?
Dr. Blumberg: "These variants will always come about as the virus continues to be transmitted and replicated. It is difficult to put them into perspective. With this variant, it was discovered around Christmas. It's got 28 different mutations from the original omicron strain, it has 32 mutations that are similar, but it has increased in Denmark, Norway, Germany, South Africa, and the Philippines. And in Denmark, it accounts for 50% of the circulating strains."
Q: Is this affecting some groups of people more than others?
Dr. Blumberg: "One of the concerns in Denmark, where it’s becoming the predominant strain, is that the highest rate of hospitalization is occurring in children from birth to two years of age. The second most affected group is those over 80 years of age. So, we haven't seen that before. As a pediatrician, that deeply concerns me."
Q: Why is the subvariant getting so much attention?
Dr. Blumberg: "Because it has increased so rapidly in so many cases, and we have not seen the leveling off like we have seen here in California. In some other countries where this has been detected, such as Denmark and Israel, they are still seeing skyrocketing rates of cases, so the concern is that it may be 40% more transmissible compared to the previous omicron strain."
Q: Is it normal for subvariants to emerge and spread this fast?
Dr. Blumberg: "It is hard to know what normal is in the age of COVID-19, isn’t it? We keep getting surprising keep getting these mutations. Until we get a high rate of immunity around the world, we will continue to get development of new strains, new variants and new surprises."
Q: If I got omicron, do I have any natural immunity to the subvariant?
Dr. Blumberg: "There have already been reports of patients infected with the original omicron strain, and within a month getting infected with this strain too, so there is some suggestion it’s different enough from the previous strain that it is possible that previous infection-induced immunity may not provide that much protection."
Q: What is really the difference when we have a new variant from the subvariant?
Dr. Blumberg: "Some people have called it the stealth variant and I think that's a very poor name. We can detect it with our currently available diagnostic tests, so whether this does end up as a separate variant or it does get a new Greek letter, we would just have to see what the World Health Organization says."
Watch the full interview in the video above.
Source link
