UKHSAs latest analysis suggests that Omicron BA.5 is growing 35.1% faster than Omicron BA.2, while Omicron BA.4 is growing approximately 19.1% faster. In a lot of ways, it's a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches and fatigue," said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, the system medical director of infection control and. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Data by variant related to intensive care unit admissions is presented and an analysis into the effect of the recent surge of Omicron cases in care homes is also available in the latest technical briefing. It contains updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease from Omicron, and the COVID-19 reinfection rate. The team at ZOE, a study that tracks symptoms . What are the symptoms of BA.2? What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . While there is a suggestion that this wanes slightly after 15 weeks, protection in this age group remains high at over 85%. As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. The risk assessment conducted by UKHSA together with academic partners found that CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5 are currently the variants most likely to take over from BQ.1 as the next dominant variant in the UK, unless further novel variants arise. UKHSA Chief Executive, Jenny Harries said: I want to thank everyone who has been working globally and locally to help us act incredibly quickly in response to the Omicron variant. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive ofUKHSA, said: We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. 3 Common Omicron BA.2.12.1 COVID-19 Subvariant Symptoms - Good Housekeeping Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. People infected with Omicron are also less likely to experience fever or loss of taste and smell. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. We are particularly grateful to health protection specialists and the government of South Africa for early sharing of local information on the omicron variant in an exemplary way to support global health security. 34 Subsequent studies that were performed in periods when a mix of BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 viruses circulated have reported low effectiveness of a second booster against . Everyone should complete a primary course as soon as possible for most this will be a first and second dose. . There were very limited numbers of BA.2 in this study and no inferences can be made regarding BA.2. As always, the booster vaccine remains the best protection against infection. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to immune escape, transmissibility or susceptibility to treatments, but this has not been proven. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at UKHSA, said: The reclassification of these variants as variants of concern reflects emerging evidence on the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 internationally and in the UK. But Omicron is an umbrella term for several closely related lineages of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the most common of which is the BA.1 lineage. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. There are small numbers of cases in the UK and this designation is intended to allow investigation into the specific properties of this variant. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case, their close contacts will be contacted and advised to isolate for 10 days and to take a test. Omicron BA.2 lacks the genetic deletion on the spike protein which produces S-gene target failure (SGTF) in some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which has been used as a proxy for Omicron cases previously. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. COVID-19 variants identified in the UK - latest updates - GOV.UK Covid BA.2 Omicron variant: The key symptoms to look out for BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. What is Omicron sub-variant BA.2? All we know about the symptoms and 'Stealth' Omicron: What You Need To Know About The BA.2 Virus | Glamour UK Of symptomatic cases, loss of smell and taste was found to be more common in people who tested positive for Delta than those who had Omicron. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. BA.2 variant symptoms: Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Francisco Velazquez told KREM 2 News that the BA.2 variant of the omicron variant has some unique symptoms, too. However, it remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. Our exceptional vaccine rollout means the number of people severely affected by COVID-19 is low, and the UKs innovation and research has discovered life-saving treatments for those most at risk from COVID-19. According to Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI), BA.2 infections rose to account for about half of the country's reported Covid cases in January. The BA.2 subvariant of the COVID-19 virus is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the world, and while health officials are saying the subvariant acts like the original omicron version of the . No cases have been identified in the UK. According to Boden-Albala said, those symptoms may include the following: Fever Chills Fatigue Cough Body aches Shortness of breath Sore throat Additionally, some people may report upper. The latest data confirmed that among those who had received 2 doses of AstraZeneca, there was no effect against Omicron from 20 weeks after the second dose. What experts know about COVID-19 omicron subvariant BA.2 Following the change in JCVI advice earlier this week, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended and will be available at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility. These include a high temperature, a new. Following the change in Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice yesterday, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs [lateral flow devices] and take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test if symptoms develop.". UKHSA is monitoring this closely. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. UKHSA has also this week published further vaccine effectiveness data against hospitalisation following a booster dose. Covid-19| 2 New Symptoms of Omicron Variant BA. 2 That Should Not be Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? These early findings should be interpreted with caution as transmission data and dynamics can fluctuate, meaning that early findings can change quickly when new variants are identified. A major ailment is not to be expected for the age group 20-50 years. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause - TheHealthSite This suggests that, as immunity begins to wane, these newly emerging BA.2 variants may fuel future waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. Here is what we know about it. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has . UKHSA has updated its stay at home guidance and non-household contacts guidance to reflect changes to self-isolation requirements for contacts of people who have been identified as a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Neither have currently been designated as variants of concern. The UKHSAs COVID-19 variant technical briefing 43, published today, includes epidemiological analysis that shows that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now make up more than half of new COVID-19 cases in England, accounting for approximately 22% and 39% of cases, respectively. This analysis shows you are up to 8 times more likely to end up in hospital as a result of COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated. As with previous variants, experts believe vaccines will continue to be highly effective against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. These people are spread around the country and are a mix of age ranges between 18 to 85 years the majority had received 2 doses of vaccination. For some more vulnerable a third dose is available. The public health advice is the same for all current variants. Cases are currently very high in the UK, and even a relatively low proportion requiring hospitalisation could result in a significant number of people becoming seriously ill. The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. Two variants, CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5, appear to have a growth advantage in the UK. The most common omicron-related symptoms are: Cough. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. Spector shared a list of symptom prevalence from people who had tested positive for COVID, most of whom were estimated to have caught BA.2, he said. Aside from all of the usual COVID symptoms, like a dry cough, a scratchy throat, fatigue, and muscle aches, the Stealth variant is thought to cause a few other distinct issues. BA.2 variant: Everything we know about the new Covid strain - Metro The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 8 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 5 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. So, like the original omicron strain (BA.1), the primary symptoms of a mild BA.2 infection are a cough, fever, fatigue and possible loss of taste or smell. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. However, UKHSA scientists say there is no room to be complacent. The sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in 57 countries now, the WHO says. According to Baric, Omicron is the first SARS-CoV-2 variant to evolve in the context of mounting immunity in the populationthe result of vaccines and prior infection with other forms of the . Of those with Omicron, 9.5% have had COVID-19 before, which is likely to be a substantial underestimate of the proportion of reinfections, as many prior infections will have been asymptomatic and not picked up by the analysis. Twoto4 weeks after a booster dose, vaccine effectiveness ranged from around 65 to 75%, dropping to 55 to 70% at 5 to 9 weeks and 40 to 50% from 10+ weeks after the booster. Overall, the original Omicron lineage, BA.1, is dominant in the UK and the proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London and North West. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case of Omicron, their close contacts will be contacted and advised they are required to isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or received a negative COVID-19 test result. AstraZeneca was the main vaccine used early in the programme in care homes and among those in clinical risk groups. The World Health Organization has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) since January 2020, during which time the variant Omicron has been identified, which is technically known as BA.1 or B.1.1.529.The WHO is now monitoring a sub-variant of Omicron, known as BA.2, which has been described as "stealth Omicron," because it has genetic mutations that potentially make it . Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. BA.2, also coined as the "stealth" variant, is a relative of Omicron's original variant, BA.1, which tore through the Australian community over Christmas and the New Year period. Other countries that have uploaded more than 100 samples are India (530), Sweden (181), and Singapore (127). Any variants showing evidence of spread are rapidly assessed. Omicron BA.2.75, the variant derived from the BA.2 lineage which was identified internationally earlier this month, has now been categorised as a separate variant and given the designation V-22JUL-01. Early data shows that young children who are hospitalised experience mild illness and are discharged after short stays in hospital. Covid: Rise in UK infections driven by BA.2 Omicron variant Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: We are learning to live with this virus and thanks to our world-leading surveillance system we can rapidly detect and carefully monitor any genetic changes to COVID-19. BA.2.75.2 as a new variant but singled it out as an . Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, said: This latest set of analysis once again demonstrates that a booster dose of the vaccine provides you with significant protection against hospitalisation from Omicron. India is another country where BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variant, according to molecular biologist Bijaya Dhakal.