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What are the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5? Experts explain

What are the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5? Experts explain
DIANA: WELCOME BACK. COVID CASES ARE ONCE AGAIN ON THE RISE AND WE ARE FOCUSED ON A VERY CONTAGIOUS VARIANT. I’M JOINED NOW BY DR. BILL HARTMAN FROM U.W. HEALTH. IN CASE MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I WANT TO KICK OFF THE INTERVIEW WITH CHATTING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE CDC IS SAYING, THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE COUNTRY’S NEW COVID CASES ARE THE BA-5 VARIANT. HOW CONCERNING IS THAT? DR. HARTMAN: THE BA-FOUR AND BA-FIVE VARIANCE ARE WORKING HARD TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY AS THEY CAN. RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS TO BE 53% OR 54%. IT MIGHT BE EVEN CLOSER TO 70%. IT IS A VARIANT OF OMICRON AND IT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE CAUSING MORE SEVERE DISEASE THAN THE ORIGINAL OMICRON, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH TRANSMISSIVE ABILITY -- TRANSMISSIVE ABILITY, PEOPLE WHO WERE INFECTED A FEW WEEKS AGO ARE STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS VARIANT NOW. DIANA: IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN VARIANTS THROUGH SYMPTOMS? DR. HARTMAN: IT’S PRETTY HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE ALTHOUGH THE SYMPTOMS FOR THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT ARE SIMILAR TO STREP THROAT, PEOPLE GET A BAD SORE THROAT FROM THE VOCAL CORDS TO THE TIP OF YOUR NOSE IS WHERE THIS VARIANT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING THE MOST ISSUES. NASAL CONGESTION, SORE THROAT, FEELING CRUMMY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. DIANA: I DID WANT TO ASK, BECAUSE I SAW THIS ARTICLE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE NEWS EARLIER. WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE WHO CATCHES COVID MORE THAN ONCE, IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS? DR. HARTMAN: THE IMPORTANT THING WITH THIS STUDY IS TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN PEOPLE WHO DO CATCH COVERED MULTIPLE TIMES, MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO DO WELL. BUT EACH TIME THAT YOU CATCH COVID, BECOME INFECTED WITH COVID-19, YOU DO RUN THE RISK OF HAVING SOME OTHER SYMPTOM THAT COULD RESULT, WHETHER IT BE A CARDIAC ISSUE OR A PULMONARY ISSUE, A NEUROLOGIC ISSUE, SOMETHING THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONG COVID. THE CHANCES OF DEVELOPING THIS INCREASE IS THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU BECOME INFECTED INCREASE. DIANA: I DID WANT TO ASK YOU TODAY AND TAKE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE ROLLOUT FOR KIDS UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING? DR. HARTMAN: I AM SURE THAT MANY OF THE PARENTS WERE WAITING FOR THIS VACCINE AND FEEL THAT THE ROLLOUT HAS BEEN SLOWER THAN THEY WANTED. BUT IT IS BEING EFFECTIVE. WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS OLD VACCINATED, AT LEAST WITH THE FIRST SHOT IN THE SERIES SO FAR. THIS IS AN ONGOING EFFORT. IT IS NEVER TO EDUCATE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF VACCINATING THEIR CHILDREN, THEN HAVING THE VACCINES AVAILABLE IN THE PLACES THAT PARENTS CAN GET THEIR KIDS TO, SO THEY CAN BECOME VACCINATED. DIAN
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What are the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5? Experts explain
Omicron has been the dominant COVID-19 variant in the U.S. for months, but it’s spawned several subvariants that have caused spikes in cases. While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention once showed that the omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 (stealth omicron) was the dominant form of COVID-19 circulating in the U.S., now, there are two new subvariants infectious disease experts are keeping an eye on: BA.4 and BA.5.Federal estimates show the rapidly spreading COVID-19 subvariant BA.5 has become the dominant variant, making up about 54% of new cases in the United States, and the BA.4 subvariant is responsible for about 16% of recent cases. Additionally, data from The New York Times from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University shows that cases of omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have risen in Europe by 70% over the last two weeks. Video above: Omicron subvariant on the riseOmicron subvariants are nothing new but, historically speaking, the rise of a new subvariant — let alone two subvariants — seems to correlate with an increase in COVID-19 cases. Here’s what you need to know about omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, including where the dominant subvariants first appeared, the symptoms, and how concerned you should be.What are the symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5?As a whole, the symptoms of COVID-19 have stayed fairly consistent, and BA.4 and BA.5 don’t seem to be a big departure from other omicron symptoms, according to Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. “They also seem to cause no more or less severe disease than earlier renditions of omicron,” he adds. A CDC report published in December found that patients with omicron generally have these symptoms:CoughFatigueCongestionRunny noseThe most common symptoms of COVID-19, per the CDC, include:Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea BA.4 and BA.5 outdoor transmission riskYou can get BA.5 outdoors, but you could also contract other COVID-19 variants outside, Russo recently told Prevention. “Outdoors has never been a 100% safe zone,” he said. “You’re much less likely to get infected outdoors than you are indoors — that’s unequivocal. However, if you’re in close quarters with an individual in close quarters for a longer period of time, you’re still at risk of getting infected.”COVID-19 typically spreads through droplets from an infected person’s breathing, according to the CDC. Currently, the CDC still recommends wearing a well-fitted mask if you are sick or around others who are sick. In general, the CDC says you do not need to wear masks outdoors.Where did BA.4 and BA.5 originate?It’s not entirely clear where BA.4 and BA.5 originated, but they’ve been detected in several countries in Southern Africa and Europe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said in May that the variants have been spotted in Botswana, South Africa, Germany, and Denmark, among other countries. Do tests detect the new subvariants?Yes, COVID-19 tests are able to detect the new variants, said William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.One thing to note, per Russo: While BA.2 had certain genetic traits that made it harder to classify as omicron on polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) tests, that doesn’t seem to be the case with BA.4 and BA.5.“That’s a quick and dirty way to find out if BA.4 and BA.5 are circulating if you’re in a BA.2-dominant region,” he said.Additionally, because the popularity of home testing has increased and become more accessible, experts believe the total count of new infections is much larger than we even know. How do these subvariants differ from BA.2.12.1?Research from South Africa indicates that the country’s earlier surge of BA.4 and BA.5 variants did not cause any more severe illness compared to the first omicron wave, but they are significantly more contagious, according to recent research published in the journal Nature. The study indicated BA.4 and BA.5 are four times more resistant to antibodies from three vaccine doses compared to BA.2. BA.4 and BA.5 have mutations that make them slightly different from BA.2.12.1. “There’s a pattern here,” Schaffner said. “We had omicron and then there are omicron mutations that were as contagious or even more contagious than omicron. It’s a continuing story.”BA.4 and BA.5 “are more closely related to BA.2 and its subvariants than to BA.1,” Russo said. BA.4 and BA.5 have an amino acid change that was present in the delta variant, Russo said. “Because of this, there’s some speculation that, if you were infected with delta, it may help you out with BA.4 and BA.5,” he says. What can people do to protect themselves?Russo recommends sticking to “the usual” prevention methods. That means getting vaccinated against COVID-19, if you haven’t already, and making sure you’re up to date on your boosters. The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a statement assuring the American public that any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved by the FDA meets the standards for safety and effectiveness, and they continue to encourage getting your booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Manufacturers are currently working to update their vaccines to add an omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein component (to help address the contagious subvariants) that is expected to be available in mid-fall 2022.“Vaccine-induced immunity seems imperfect at preventing infection, but it looks like it will do a good job at keeping people out of the hospital with severe disease,” Russo said. And, if you’re considered at high-risk for complications from COVID-19, he also suggests wearing a “high-quality, well-fitting mask” in indoor settings.Overall, experts say that public health officials are keeping an eye on BA.4 and BA.5. “These variants are something that we in public health are watching,” Schaffner said. This article is accurate as of press time. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves and the scientific community’s understanding of the novel coronavirus develops, some of the information may have changed since it was last updated. While we aim to keep all of our stories up to date, please visit online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and your local public health department to stay informed on the latest news. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice.

Omicron has been the dominant COVID-19 variant in the U.S. for months, but it’s spawned several subvariants that have caused spikes in cases.

While data from the once showed that the omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 (stealth omicron) was the dominant form of COVID-19 circulating in the U.S., now, there are two new subvariants infectious disease experts are keeping an eye on: BA.4 and BA.5.

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show the rapidly spreading COVID-19 subvariant BA.5 has become the dominant variant, making up about 54% of new cases in the United States, and the BA.4 subvariant is responsible for about 16% of recent cases. Additionally, data from from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University shows that cases of omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have risen in Europe by 70% over the last two weeks.

Video above: Omicron subvariant on the rise

Omicron subvariants are nothing new but, historically speaking, the rise of a new subvariant — let alone two subvariants — seems to correlate with an .

Here’s what you need to know about subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, including where the dominant subvariants first appeared, the symptoms, and how concerned you should be.

What are the symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5?

As a whole, the symptoms of COVID-19 have stayed fairly consistent, and BA.4 and BA.5 don’t seem to be a big departure from other , according to Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. “They also seem to cause no more or less severe disease than earlier renditions of omicron,” he adds.

A published in December found that patients with omicron generally have these symptoms:

  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Congestion
  • Runny nose

The most common symptoms of COVID-19, per the , include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

BA.4 and BA.5 outdoor transmission risk

You can get BA.5 outdoors, but you could also contract other COVID-19 variants outside, Russo recently told . “Outdoors has never been a 100% safe zone,” he said. “You’re much less likely to get infected outdoors than you are indoors — that’s unequivocal. However, if you’re in close quarters with an individual in close quarters for a longer period of time, you’re still at risk of getting infected.”

COVID-19 typically spreads through droplets from an infected person’s breathing, according to the . Currently, the CDC still recommends wearing a well-fitted mask if you are sick or around others who are sick. In general, the you do not need to wear masks outdoors.

Where did BA.4 and BA.5 originate?

It’s not entirely clear where BA.4 and BA.5 originated, but they’ve been detected in several countries in Southern Africa and Europe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, in May that the variants have been spotted in Botswana, South Africa, Germany, and Denmark, among other countries.

Do tests detect the new subvariants?

Yes, COVID-19 tests are able to detect the new variants, said William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

One thing to note, per Russo: While BA.2 had certain genetic traits that made it harder to classify as omicron on polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) tests, that doesn’t seem to be the case with BA.4 and BA.5.

“That’s a quick and dirty way to find out if BA.4 and BA.5 are circulating if you’re in a BA.2-dominant region,” he said.

Additionally, because the popularity of home testing has increased and become more accessible, believe the total count of new infections is much larger than we even know.

How do these subvariants differ from BA.2.12.1?

from South Africa indicates that the country’s earlier surge of BA.4 and BA.5 variants did not cause any more severe illness compared to the first omicron wave, but they are significantly more contagious, according to recent research published in the journal . The study indicated BA.4 and BA.5 are four times more resistant to antibodies from three vaccine doses compared to BA.2.

BA.4 and BA.5 have mutations that make them slightly different from BA.2.12.1. “There’s a pattern here,” Schaffner said. “We had omicron and then there are omicron mutations that were as contagious or even more contagious than omicron. It’s a continuing story.”

BA.4 and BA.5 “are more closely related to BA.2 and its subvariants than to BA.1,” Russo said. BA.4 and BA.5 have an amino acid change that was present in the delta variant, Russo said. “Because of this, there’s some speculation that, if you were infected with delta, it may help you out with BA.4 and BA.5,” he says.

What can people do to protect themselves?

Russo recommends sticking to “the usual” prevention methods. That means getting vaccinated against COVID-19, if you haven’t already, and making sure you’re up to date on your boosters.

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued assuring the American public that any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved by the FDA meets the standards for safety and effectiveness, and they continue to encourage getting your booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Manufacturers are currently working to update their vaccines to add an omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein component (to help address the contagious subvariants) that is expected to be available in mid-fall 2022.

“Vaccine-induced immunity seems imperfect at preventing infection, but it looks like it will do a good job at keeping people out of the hospital with severe disease,” Russo said.

And, if you’re considered at high-risk for complications from COVID-19, he also suggests wearing a “” in indoor settings.

Overall, experts say that public health officials are keeping an eye on BA.4 and BA.5. “These variants are something that we in public health are watching,” Schaffner said.

This article is accurate as of press time. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves and the scientific community’s understanding of the novel coronavirus develops, some of the information may have changed since it was last updated. While we aim to keep all of our stories up to date, please visit online resources provided by the , , and your to stay informed on the latest news. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice.