Here is a guide to the various Omicron subvariants of COVID-19.
Fortunately, the illnesses caused by omicron have typically been less severe than those caused by previous variants — a pattern that seems to hold for all the subvariants studied so far. One analysis from Denmark showed that BA.2, show “no evidence to suggest that it is more worrisome than the original omicron, other than a potentially slight increase in transmissibility,” said Brooke Nichols, an infectious-disease mathematical modeler at Boston University.
Dennis Cunningham, the system medical director of infection control and prevention at Henry Ford Health in Detroit,that the symptoms from the omicron subvariants “have been pretty consistent. There’s less incidence of people losing their sense of taste and smell. In a lot of ways, it’s a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches, and fatigue.
While some people who had BA.1 have also gotten BA.2, the initial research suggests that infection with BA. 1 “provides strong protection against reinfection with BA.2,” the World Health Organization“This may explain why our BA.2 surge in the U.S. was not that large as the very large BA.1 surge over the winter,” Gandhi said.
The level of protection can vary depending on how sick you were, with mild cases boosting immunity for perhaps a month or two and recovery from a severe illness granting up to a year.Although the current vaccines and boosters aren’t quite as successful in protecting against omicron as they are against earlier variants, they will generally protect people from severe disease if they are infected by one of the new subvariants.
“We’re steady as she goes with the vaccines we’re using,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy at Vanderbilt University. “I have not seen a single study from the field that shows a substantial distinction between the vaccine responses to omicron subvariants.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New York Gov. Hochul tests positive for COVID, as two omicron subvariants spread across Empire StateNew York Gov. Kathy Hochul tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, becoming the latest political leader to succumb to the virus, which is rising across the state driven by two subvariants of omicron.
Read more »
What Covid-19 precautions should you take for Mother's Day, graduations and other events?Cases of Covid-19 are rising again. What should people know about new subvariants, especially as many gather for festivities such as Mother's Day and graduations? CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen answers your questions.
Read more »
Bay Area Residents Planning Mother's Day Gatherings as COVID-19 Cases RiseMother’s Day celebrations are happening Sunday in the Bay Area and they will happen amid rising COVID-19 cases.
Read more »
Amy Schumer Tests Positive for COVID-19, Cancels Netflix Is a Joke SetCOVID-19 continues to affect the world's biggest celebrities in 2022 — see which stars have tested positive for the virus
Read more »
Coronavirus: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tests positive for COVID-19Gov. Kathy Hochul had to cancel a Mother's Day trip to see her daughter and infant granddaughter.
Read more »
Amy Schumer Cancels Comedy Show After COVID-19 DiagnosisAmy Schumer cancels comedy show after COVID-19 diagnosis.
Read more »