Omicron infections are still rising, as are hospitalizations and deaths. The omicron subvariant BA.5 is behind the vast majority of new cases, while BA.4, a sister subvariant, currently accounts for 6.6% of new cases, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts and officials are urging individuals over the age of 50 or those who are severely immunocompromised to get vaccinated right away.
Dr. Ashish Jha said during a recent COVID-19 Response Coordination press conference that the “existing vaccines continue to provide robust protection against serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths,” adding that, because “protection wanes over time, it is crucial for people to get a booster to stay up to date.”
“The smartest thing to do is to have a nuanced approach instead of ‘one-size-fits-all,’” said Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, per Newsday. “Are you in a high-risk group? Will you be around someone who is immunocompromised? Will you be traveling?”
According to one study, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, researchers in Israel found that, among nearly 30,000 health care workers, “the breakthrough infection rate among those who received 4 doses was 6.9% compared with 19.8% in those who received 3 doses,” suggesting that a fourth dose is effective.
New omicron variant BA.4.6 is already spreading in four states
Even though BA.5 currently makes up 87.1% of cases, a new variant — a spinoff of BA.4 — is emerging. CDC’s chief officer tweeted that the new subvariant “has been circulating for several weeks,” making up 4.1% of cases for the week ending July 30. It now accounts for 4.8% of new infections.
The health agency deemed it a “variant of concern,” a designation that the CDC gives when there is a greater chance of transmissibility and severity, or because of reduced effectiveness of treatment and neutralization by antibodies.
According to Fortune, the new subvariant is already prevalent in four states — Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska — which are seeing the highest BA.4.6 proportions, with up to 13.2% of sequenced specimens.
What are other variants of concern?
Other variants of concern are BA.4, BA.2 and BA.2.12.1. The CDC also lists BA.1.1.529 and BA.1.1 in that category, even though they make up 0% of cases.
What are the top omicron symptoms to look out for?
As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. The worst symptom is a “throat on fire,” said UCSF’s Dr. Peter Chin-Hong.
The most common omicron-related symptoms are:
- Cough.
- Fatigue.
- Congestion.
- Runny nose.
Is it easier to get reinfected with the new omicron subvariants?
The newer subvariants have the ability to evade immunity from vaccines or prior infections, or both, per the Deseret News.
Since BA.4 and BA.5 have become the dominant strains, Dr. Wesley Long, an experimental pathologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, told CNN that he has seen cases of reinfection.
“I have seen some cases of reinfection with people who had a BA.2 variant in the last few months,” he added. While vaccine immunity helps lower the severity of infection, it doesn’t offer complete protection.