Just when we thought things were returning to normal, a new Covid-19 variant has reared its ugly head. The variant known as BA.2 was first detected months ago, and is spreading quickly across the U.S. According to the CDC, this new variant is becoming the dominant strain of Covid, since it has been doubling each week for the past month. So what can we expect from this new strain?
The Spread of BA.2
This new Covid-19 variant, BA.2, is even more transmissible than the strain that came before it, the omicron variant. It made up 3% of cases in NJ and NY at the end of the week of March 12, up 25% from the previous week! In the West, it has accounted for 27.7% of cases, up 17.1%.
But, while it’s clear that this new variant is more transmissible than others that came before it, what is unclear is if this new variant is more lethal than previous ones. “We often don’t know until it’s too late,” said Stephanie Silvera, an infectious disease specialist at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. “That’s been the problem with managing these surges. Deaths are one of the last impacts we see.”
“It’s difficult to predict how Covid-19 variants or any other emerging respiratory virus will evolve over time and what their specific impacts will be,” said Dr. Tina Tan, New Jersey state epidemiologist. “And it is hard to predict whether a surge in BA.2 will translate to increased hospitalizations or deaths at this time.”
Will the Vaccine Protect Against BA.2?
According to British scientists, the current vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing severe illness from the new strain, but they might not prevent infection. Some experts are remaining hopeful, though.
“…Hopefully, we won’t see a surge. I don’t think we will,” Chief Medical Advisor to the president Dr. Anthony Fauci said. “The easiest way to prevent that is to continue to get people vaccinated, and for those who have been vaccinated to continue to get boosted.”
Will We Go Back To A Mask Mandate?
As of now, Dr. Fauci also does not think that mask mandates need to be reinstated. “If we do see a significant surge, particularly one that might result in increased hospitalizations, we have to be prepared to pivot and perhaps reinstitute some of those restrictions,” he said. “But right now, at this point, I don’t see that.”
It seems like every time we think we have turned a corner in defeating the coronavirus, a new variant rears its ugly head. The Omicron Covid-19 variant, which is believed to have originated in South Africa, has now been detected in more than 19 states in the U.S. While researchers continue to study the seriousness of Omicron, health experts have come up with a list of symptoms that accompany the new variant, and warn that people should not ignore them, or mistake them for those of a common cold.
Too Soon To Tell
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Omicron variant to be a concern last month. As scientists continue to research this version of Covid, they have seen some similarities between it and the common cold, but so far, all experts are sure of is that the genetic makeup of the Omicron variant is different from other Covid-19 strains. They believe that it is not as severe as the Delta variant, but health officials say it is too soon to tell if Omicron infections are milder than those of other forms of the coronavirus. There are, though, some symptoms that health officials say people should take seriously if they experience them.
Omicron Symptoms
Two of the major symptoms that have been seen in those who have contracted Omicron are fatigue and body aches: in fact, with this variant, people have reported being fatigued over other Covid symptoms, such as loss of taste and smell. Symptoms can be different among infected individuals, but so far what has been noted is that symptoms are milder, and include:
Pain across different muscle groups
Feeling extremely tired or fatigued
Scratchy throat
Headache
Fever
Respiratory failure
Body chills
Shortness of breath
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Researchers and doctors note that the range of symptoms depends on the person’s vaccination status, age, and health history. Unvaccinated people can experience more severe symptoms.
Omicron Is Spreading Fast
So far, from what has been seen over the last month and a half, the Omicron variant seems to spread at a faster rate than past variants. Researchers speculate this might be due to how the virus’ protein has mutated. “Estimates based on experience in South Africa allow scientists to postulate that the Omicron variant is at least three times more infectious than original versions of SARS-CoV-2,” says Dr. Nicholas Kman, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center “It may be possibly more contagious than the Delta variant, though [Delta] remains the dominant strain in the U.S., so it’s unclear if this is the case.”
In the meantime, doctors and health officials continue to urge Americans to get vaccinated to best protect themselves from Covid and its variants.
