When news of a new version of the Omicron variant broke last month, for many, it felt like a recurring nightmare. It seems like every time we get close to putting our masks away for good, something happens to remind us that the pandemic isn’t over just yet. The variant is called BA.2, nicknamed “stealth” Omicron in many news articles. While in the U.S. Omicron is still the dominant form of COVID-19 that the vast majority of people have when testing positive, BA.2 has become more common than Omicron in several other countries, including Denmark, India, Qatar, Nepal, and the Philippines. Currently, in the U.S., Omicron accounts for 96 percent of positive COVID-19 cases, with BA.2 consisting of the other 4 percent. But infectious disease specialists expect cases of BA.2 to be on the rise. Here’s what you need to know about this new subvariant, including how to protect yourself and others.
What is BA.2 and where did it come from?
“BA.2 is a variant of Omicron, which means that it shares some of the [characteristics] that Omicron has, but it also has its own unique characteristics,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Michael Diamond, MD, PhD, says. Dr. William Schaffner, MD, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, explains that every time a virus infects a new person, the virus multiplies. “This gives it an opportunity to mutate and change its genetic structure,” he says. Dr. Schaffner explains that if a mutation occurs that’s structurally very different from the parent strain, it’s considered a new variant. For example, both Omicron and Delta are variants of the original COVID-19 strain. But if the mutation is very close to the parent strain, it’s called a subvariant. “Since BA.2 is so similar to Omicron, it’s considered a subvariant,” Dr. Schaffner says. Dr. Diamond says that while he doesn’t endorse its new nickname, the reason why BA.2 is being called the “stealth” variant is because it took a while to detect it since it is so similar to Omicron. “But this name is not based on the virus having any other properties that would make it more [harmful] than normal,” he says. In terms of what BA.2 has in common with Omicron, Dr. Schaffner says that it seems to be just as contagious. In fact, he says it might even be more contagious. So, that’s not great news. But here’s what is: Since BA.2 is so similar to Omicron, the current COVID vaccines will help protect against contracting and spreading the virus. Both experts say that the truth is, if someone tests positive for COVID, there is no way for them to know if they have Omicron or BA.2 (or the original strain or Delta for that matter). But the best way to protect yourself and others against them all is to get vaccinated, get boosted, and to wear a mask.
What does BA.2 mean for the future of the pandemic?
Since BA.2 is so similar to Omicron, both experts say that its existence isn’t as alarming as when Delta and Omicron came into existence. But they do say it’s likely that BA.2 will become more widespread in the U.S. “It’s already spreading, but whether or not it will become the dominant strain of COVID, that’s still unknown,” Dr. Schaffner says. The spread, however, will likely take longer than what happened with Omicron. Dr. Diamond says that since so many people in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19, it’s led to greater herd immunity. This, he says, will make the rise of BA.2 slower. “I don’t think there will be a rapid replacement [of Omicron with BA.2], and they may overlap and mix in some places,” he says. Dr. Diamond says that it’s in a virus’s nature to mutate and form subvariants. This is why, he says, some infectious disease specialists believe that instead of developing a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine—which helps protect against the virus that leads to COVID-19—a universal COVID-19 vaccine should be developed. “This type of vaccine would anticipate these kind sof [mutations] and hopefully generate enough immunity to protect the bulk of the population,” he says. While this new subvariant may play a part in changing what the future of COVID vaccination may look like, Dr. Schaffner says its existence won’t prolong the pandemic. “We’re already starting to see fewer hospitalizations and Intensive Care Unit admissions and I don’t think BA.2 is going to challenge that in a substantial fashion,” he says. What both experts really want everyone to know about BA.2 is that if you are vaccinated and boosted, you should be safe from experiencing serious health effects if you do, in fact, get it. So while the headlines about a new subvariant may be disheartening, it’s not a reason to completely freak out. Next up, find out if Omicron can cause long COVID.
Sources:
Dr. William Schaffner, MD, professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of MedicineDr. Michael Diamond, MD, PhD, infectious disease specialist and professor at Washington University School of Medicine
