BA.2 may cause more severe symptoms compared to omicron

Analysis continues so as to add what we all know concerning the BA.2 subvariant of the omicron variant.

Illustration by Alex Cochran, Deseret Information

Scientists have new proof that the BA.2 subvariant of the omicron coronavirus variant could also be extra extreme in comparison with earlier strains.

What they discovered:New lab experiments in Japan discovered that BA.2 has numerous options that may make it able to inflicting extreme COVID-19 signs on the identical stage as earlier strains.

• The analysis — revealed earlier than peer overview on the bioRxiv server — discovered that BA.2 can resist COVID-19 vaccines and a few therapies, such because the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab.

What they’re saying: “It is perhaps, from a human’s perspective, a worse virus than BA.1 and may be capable to transmit higher and trigger worse illness,” mentioned Dr. Daniel Rhoads, part head of microbiology on the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, in keeping with CNN.

Why it issues: Kei Sato, a researcher on the College of Tokyo who led the examine, advised CNN that this implies that the BA.2 subvariant of the omicron must be thought-about the identical COVID-19 pressure as omicron.

• “It seems to be like we is perhaps a brand new Greek letter right here,” mentioned Deborah Fuller, a virologist on the College of Washington College of Drugs, in keeping with CNN.

The larger image: The omicron variant’s subvariant BA.2 has been spreading since February, slowly changing the unique pressure of the omicron variant as probably the most dominant COVID-19 pressure on the earth, as I reported for the Deseret Information.