The new genetic versions that keep appearing are called variants. Unfortunately, omicron is so easily spread that even those who are fully vaccinated and boosted may get the illness. Despite what many of us might like to believe, COVID-19 has not gone away. 2022UC Regents. It's the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, has become one of the dominant strains of the virus in the U.S. In South Africa, which has identified the greatest number of cases, symptoms and severity seem similar to those of disease caused by Omicron BA.2. It minimises the impact and people should follow that health advice. "The virus is moving in a direction of escaping our vaccines more and more, but it has not found a way to escape the vaccines to a really significant degree," Montefiori said. [] Do they have the capacity to produce more severe disease? BA.4 and BA.5 are more infectious than previous Covid variants and subvariants, and are better able to evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections. That might mean that people who got BA.2 infections have some protection now. 2004-2022 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Consider upgrading your face masks to N95s or KN95s if you want more protection. Still, the future of the pandemic will depend not just on the properties of variants, but also on human behaviour and how much immunity has built up in the population. There are some data that say these subvariants are even more contagious. So were likely to see a rise in case numbers. The fourth dose: Why is it necessary and is it enough to stop the spike? It is more easily spread than other strains because it evades immunity from past COVID-19 infection and vaccination. BA.4 And BA.5 Omicron: How Worried Should We Be. By the end of June, new weekly cases were up by 32 per cent in Southeast Asia, 33 per cent in Europe and 47 per cent in the region comprising the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa and the Horn of Africa, the World Health Organisation said. COVID cases are soaring. The first and second Omicron waves peaked in early January and early April. The more people who are infected, the more likely we are to see new variants. This is the average number of people an initial case infects in a population with no immunity (from vaccines or previous infection). You can also reach out to our experts using UC Davis Healths convenient Telehealth Express Carefor urgent needs or extended-hours video visits. Both appear to be offshoots of BA.2, sharing many identical mutations. People who have. The mild days of Omicron are over: How new COVID strains could double the 10k death toll, A very big wave of long COVID is coming - and we arent prepared, expert warns, Australias deadliest wave of COVID-19 revealed, COVID-19 reinfections are here to stay. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Manufacturers could scale up production quickly too, and regulators have already discussed how to fast-track the approval process. People who havelong COVID-19 symptomscan experience health problems for four or more weeks after first being infected,according to the CDC. Here's what scientists know about it so. From Monday, Australians over 30 will be able to get a fourth vaccine dose, or second booster. Are we going to come to some sort of fraught truce with this virus? BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron are not thought to be any more lethal than other types of COVID. Should I continue to wear a mask? Telehealth video visits and Express Care are also available. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Omicron the list of SARS-CoV-2 variants continues to expand. Thats not quite the case with BA.4 and BA.5, he said, although he noted another major shift in the viruss evolution could still come. There are only trade-offs.. A wave of new infections could lead to more hospitalisations and some more deaths. This is possibly because of the high rates of immunity due to previous infections. We have waning immunity now in the people who got boosted half a year or more ago, Montefiori said. Many countries have also lifted their COVID restrictions, meaning people are mixing more, which gives the virus more chances to spread. People, if they are eligible, should do that. Balloux added, though, that "BA.2, BA.4 and B.5 from a neutralizing antibody perspective are essentially interchangeable." Rather, rises in cases and hospitalizations observed in some places more likely have to do with fading vaccine protection. For that reason, he added, people eligible for second boosters those over 50 or the immunocompromised may not want to wait. If you have a medical emergency, call 911 and notify them of your COVID-19 symptoms. Medical News Today asked the experts. Moderna is trialling a vaccine containing mRNA against the original Wuhan strain and Omicron BA.1. New research finds that with each repeat COVID infection even asymptomatic infection your risk for complications increases. BA.5 was identified on February 25, and now accounts for 20% of cases in several South African regions. Montefiori said BA.4 and BA.5 also havent been found to cause more severe disease. Heres what you need to know. There have been a few major variants already, such as alpha and delta, that have caused massive waves of infection. The Omicrons are an extraordinarily contagious family. Ten thousand Covid deaths and counting the road to Australias grim milestone, Not just a number: families of five Australian pandemic victims reflect on loss during Covid, Possible link between blood clots and Covid symptoms investigated, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. "Its just some are slightly better at infecting people who have been vaccinated or infected by previous variants.". This is partly because immunity may be waning, but also because of the mutations the virus has undergone. The virus is moving in a direction of escaping our vaccines more and more, but it has not found a way to escape the vaccines to a really significant degree, Montefiori said. Aria Bendix, NBC & Callum Godde and John Kidman, AAP, Sunrise presenter Monique Wright reveals daughter was hospitalised with COVID, Medicines treating COVID-19 to be made available to millions more Australians. New research finds that with each repeat COVID infection even asymptomatic infection your risk for complications increases. However, they do differ in some of the mutations on the body of the virus. More than 70,000 new infections and 89 deaths were reported nationwide over the weekend, with Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 now the dominant strains of the virus. This gap is in place because many infected people still shed virus particles many weeks after recovery. Adrian Esterman is a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of South Australia. It is likely that BA.4 and BA.5 will spread further, and that they will not be the last new variants. At-home test brands include BinaxNOW and iHealth. They are talked about together because mutations in their spike protein (the bit that latches on to human cells) are identical. Number one: To detect these minor subvariants. But people who were infected with the original version of the Omicron variant during the winter may be susceptible to the newer subvariants. The CDC recently released data that showed the risk of death from COVID was four times higher for those over age 50 who had only the first booster, compared with those who had two boosters. South Africa had a surge in cases driven by BA.4 and BA.5 this spring, and COVID-19 hospitalisations are rising in the UK. Im not saying it wont happen, he said. This is especially key for those who are over age 50 and immunocompromised. South Africa has seen a rapid increase in positive tests for COVID-19, and authorities believe that BA.4 and BA.5 are responsible. However these are likely to be overestimates, as the calculations didnt take into account immune escape. Pfizer has told NBC News that it could have an updated vaccine targeting BA.4 and BA.5 ready to be distributed in October. "Given the uncertainty, theres no right or wrong," he said. "BA.1 and BA.2 are pretty different," he said, so the cross-protection "is not as great.". These estimates, and the reference to measles, have now been removed. And what can we expect in this next phase of the pandemic? If your last boost was over six months ago, you might want to consider getting boosted again now with the current vaccine to keep your protection strong while were still getting through this pandemic, Montefiori said. Reinfection is defined as a new infection at least 12 weeks after the first. Thats consistent with the symptoms reported in the UK earlier in the year, when the BA.2 subvariant was dominant. See the impacts of long COVID in the video player below. Francois Balloux, the director of the University College London Genetics Institute, said that's most likely another reason the subvariants have taken over. Although it can vary, people are generally contagious between 1-3 days before omicron symptoms show. On the same date, health authorities had identified BA.5 in Portugal, Germany, the U.K., the U.S., Denmark, France, Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Israel, Norway, Pakistan, Spain, and Switzerland. This is compared to surgical masks that reduce the rate of infection by about 60-70%, and greater than 80% for N95s. The more chances coronavirus has to make copies of itself in us the host the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur. The federal government hasnt received any advice on retightening COVID-19 mandates, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says. Preliminary research from Japan indicates the variants could replicate more efficiently in the lungs than BA.2, and Bennett said this could lead to an increase in lower respiratory tract and secondary infections. BA.4 and BA.5 were first identified in South Africa and may soon become the dominant strains in Europe and the United States (US), health experts say. Montefiori said BA.4 and BA.5 also havent been found to cause more severe disease. They made everyone fair game for infection or reinfection but hospitalisations were unlikely to reach levels seen during the initial Omicron wave, she said. Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said it was difficult to determine how transmissible the new Omicron variants were due to waning vaccine immunity and differing levels of prior infection. You should also quarantine, watch for COVID-19 symptoms, stay away from others in your home, and wear a mask. "The companies are now scurrying to make the BA.4/BA.5-containing vaccine and test that clinically," Montefiori said. Heres who is eligible. Are the COVID-19 vaccines effective in protecting against omicron BA.5? To help limit spread of COVID-19, we have policies for visits to our hospital and outpatient clinics. Balloux added, though, that BA.2, BA.4 and B.5 from a neutralising antibody perspective are essentially interchangeable. If this gives the virus a survival advantage, the new version will thrive. Prof. Schaffner agreed that vaccines should protect against severe disease from the new variants: These are slightly different mutations of the spike protein are they so different that they cannot be responsive to our vaccines? Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. File image. ET): A previous version of this article misstated which group recommended boosters targeting BA.4 and BA.5. A study has shown them to be almost six times more infectious than the original Wuhan strain of coronavirus and as infectious as the measles. South Africa recently identified two new subvariants of Omicron designated BA.4 and BA.5. As with other COVID variants, the risk or serious illness remains highest for people who are elderly, or who have significant underlying health conditions. If you test positive, then you should isolate. Watch this video for tips on using at-home tests, Learn what to do if you test positive for COVID-19, See how at-home rapid COVID tests can help families stay safe. If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19, please see current testing information. These subvariants have now spread to several other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. A South Australian government campaign poster on a bus shelter in Adelaide on 24 June urges people to get the third Covid vaccine. That's already happened in Portugal BA.5 is now dominant there. How long before I had symptoms was I possibly contagious with omicron? Given how infectious BA.5 is, its important for everyone to take all precautions, including getting vaccinated and wearing a well-fitted face mask (N95 or KN95, if possible). Get the latest on how to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine, boosters and third doses, and more. a pre-print publication from South Africa suggests BA.4/5 has a growth advantage over BA.2 similar to the growth advantage of BA.2 over BA.1. Its important to know if you're infected with COVID-19 for three reasons: Most likely. Each subvariant has its own different mutations in other areas of the virus. BA.5 was also detected in South Africa, in February 2022. So why arent we all wearing masks on public transport? Heres what you should know, These children lost their parents to COVID. However, Bennett said she didnt believe compulsory mask-wearing should be reintroduced and instead wanted authorities to re-engage with the COVID-fatigued community with targeted public health messages. A woman wearing a protective face mask stands outside the international terminal at Sydney airport. And no sooner have we got used to one variant than another appears. In hamster experiments, it developed into more serious illness. "They're taking over, so clearly they're more contagious than earlier variants of omicron," said David Montefiori, a professor at the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke University Medical Center. (For brevity, I refer to them as BA.4/5.). See which COVID-19 symptoms you should watch for, Learn more about omicron BA.5 and how you can protect yourself. This includes an increased risk for: To protect against omicron BA.5, health experts recommend the following: Since the omicron variant BA.5 is so new, health experts do not have a clear idea how effective the vaccines are in preventing illness. Australia is heading for its third Omicron wave in the coming weeks, as BA.4 and BA.5 become the dominant Covid strains. That's not quite the case with BA.4 and BA.5, he said, although he noted another major shift in the virus's evolution could still come. We measure how contagious a disease is by the basic reproduction number (R0). Montefiori estimated that BA.4 and BA.5 are about three times less sensitive to neutralising antibodies from existing COVID-19 vaccines than the original version of the Omicron variant, BA.1. This increases the chance of reinfection. Does omicron BA.5 cause more severe illness than other strains of COVID-19? Theres really no clear evidence that theyre more or less likely to make people sick and cause severe illness and death, he said. A new version of COVID-19 is dominant in Australia. It is likely that COVID-19, in whatever form, will be with us for some years to come the key question is, can we keep it under control as we try to get life back to normal? The phenomenon of immune imprinting may influence the evolution of future COVID-19 vaccines, but why and how? For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Even if masking is not required, consider wearing a mask in public indoor spaces if you or people you live with are at high risk for severe disease. We have learned that the [COVID-19-causing variants] are more mutable than we initially thought. Errors creep in that change the genetic blueprint, resulting in a new version of the virus. Its important to remember that you may be asymptomatic and not know you are infected but still able to spread COVID-19. Rather, rises in cases and hospitalisations observed in some places more likely have to do with fading vaccine protection. Two new fast-spreading subvariants of Omicron are causing fresh surges of COVID around the world. A recent pre-print publication (a publication that has so far not been peer-reviewed) from a Japanese research group found that in lab-based, cell-culture experiments, BA.4/5 was able to replicate more efficiently in the lungs than BA.2. A new version of omicron is dominant in the U.S. The U.K. has not yet followed suit. Prof. Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London (UCL) and director of the UCL Clinical Operational Research Unit, told Medical News Today that [w]e are opening ourselves up to a serious new wave particularly in winter that we would not be able to spot in time.. Its recommended that those above the age of 50 do get their additional booster shot, he told reporters in Canberra on Saturday. Most European countries now have them and they look set to overtake other types of COVID soon. Health minister responds to mask mandate calls amid warning new Omicron wave just starting. People tend to overestimate actually how much the virus has changed very recently, Balloux said. Scientists in this country first detected BA.4 on January 10, 2022, and it has since spread throughout South Africa, now making up 35% of positive tests. All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy, 2315 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817, UC Davis Health is scheduling COVID-19 vaccines. Increasing cases have led to calls from some to reintroduce indoor mask mandates in an attempt to curb transmission. As of June 19, BA.5 accounted for 43 per cent of Omicron cases worldwide, while BA.4 accounted for 12 per cent. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also designated BA.4 and BA.5 as variants of concern. This will inevitably lead to an increase in hospitalisation and deaths. How effective are N95 masks vs. surgical masks vs. cloth masks? They have cut the risk of severe illness against the other major COVID variants, including Delta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma. 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