RE: Sub-variant of Omicron detected in 57 countries - WHO2 Feb 2022 14:00
Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron.
At the moment there is much that is not yet clear.
It appears to have a growth advantage compared to the version of Omicron, BA.1, that has swept the globe. Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency suggests it could be substantial, although there is a risk of over-estimating growth advantage in the early stages.
What we know is that it is certainly growing as a proportion of overall cases in the UK.
Because of a quirk in how it shows up in test results, we can see the numbers of suspected BA.2 doubled in the week up to 24 January.
But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases.
That contrasts to Denmark where it has become dominant.
A preliminary assessment by UKHSA did not find a difference in vaccine effectiveness, although it said there was no data yet available on severity.
But it is worth noting that Denmark has seen similar trends in terms of hospital admissions and intensive care as the UK has, suggesting BA.2 does not mark a sea-change in severity.
And even if it does become the dominant version of Omicron, it may not actually alter the trajectory of the pandemic in countries that have seen a big wave of BA.1. That’s because there could be cross-immunity – an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2.
It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage.
TEST, TEST, TEST -I can see Europe not taking any chances
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