Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — A new omicron-derived sub-mutant, dubbed “BA.2”, is spreading rapidly in some parts of the world with a minimum of 49 countries detected, including the United States. In some countries, such as Denmark, the number of infections has exceeded those with the original “Omicron” (BA.1) mutant, to become the dominant one.
This version does not have a fingerprint in laboratory tests, i.e. what is known as dropping the gene S or the failure of targeting the gene S, and therefore it can be identical and other SARS-CoV-2 mutant in the initial test. That is why some have called it a “mutant incognito”.
But how worried should we be regarding this “ghostly” offshoot of Omicron? Are vaccinated people still protected? What regarding those who have recently contracted COVID-19, can they be infected once more? Can the tests detect this mutation?
CNN Clinical Analyst Dr. Liana Winn answers these questions.
CNN: Should we be worried regarding this new Omicron sub-mutant?
Dr. Lina Wayne: We should be vigilant and keep an eye out for new information as it emerges, but don’t worry and here’s what we know regarding BA.2.
Given how quickly it spreads, and even bypassed the original fast-spreading omicron mutant, known as BA.1, in some places, this new sub-mutant appears to have a higher transmission rate.
There is no evidence that it is more dangerous than the original Omicron, which causes milder disease than previous coronavirus mutants such as Delta.
Preliminary studies from the UK also show that people who received the vaccines and the booster doses are as well protected once morest BA.2 as BA.1. This is important because it means that people who are vaccinated and who receive the booster doses are less likely to get very sick if they get this new version of Omicron.
CNN: If a person has COVID-19, how does he know if he has contracted the original omicron mutant or the new sub-mutant?
Dr. Lina Wayne: Most people never find out what type of mutant they have, because that requires a special technique called sequencing that takes place in certain laboratories.
Currently, the original ‘BA.1’ Omicron still accounts for more than 99% of new infections in the United States, so if you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 there, odds are you’ll have BA.1.
CNN: If a person was recently infected with an omicron mutant, might they be infected once more with the new mutant?
Dr. Lina Wayne: It is unlikely, as it protects a recent disease, especially with prior vaccination, from infection once more. We don’t know how long this immune protection lasts. Given the similarities between BA.1 and BA.2, it stands to reason that someone infected with COVID-19, most likely with a BA.1 mutant, will not be exposed to BA.2 infection in the near future.
CNN: Will the new booster dose assigned to the omicron mutant be effective once morest BA.2?
Dr. Lina Wayne: Pfizer and Moderna have announced that they are testing vaccines once morest Omicron. Since BA.1 and BA.2 are sub-mutants of omicron, the vaccine is expected to be effective once morest them.
However, we won’t know how effective the new Omicron booster is until clinical trials are complete, so we can make a comparison with the vaccine and the booster we received. And no one should wait for an Omicron booster if they are already eligible for the available booster dose.
If it’s been more than 5 months since you received two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months since you received one dose of Johnson & Johnson, you should get a booster now.
CNN: What would happen if the new BA.2 sub-mutant became dominant in the United States?
Dr. Lina Wayne: Of course, this possibility exists, as has happened in other countries. The presence of a more transmissible mutant means the exclusion of the previous ones.
The best case scenario is that we have enough people protected in the United States by vaccination and their recent infection, so BA.2 won’t cause a spike in infections. We can continue on this path and see a decrease in the number of injuries during the spring and summer.
The other scenario is that BA.2 hurts the huge drop in the number of infections we’re seeing, and we end up experiencing a fourth wave that’s longer than BA.1 alone would have.
In either case, it is important to continue to monitor if vaccination and booster doses confer protection once morest severe disease caused by BA.1 and BA.2. If so, that means the vaccines are working, and that’s the goal of developing vaccines, to get us out of the hospital, and reduce severe illness, and death.
CNN: Does the word “hidden” mean that the new mutant will not be detected by the tests?
Dr. Lina Wayne: No, there is no evidence to suggest that BA.2 cannot be detected by PCR or at-home antigen tests.
CNN: What’s your advice to protect once morest this mutant?
Dr. Lina Wayne: There are many people who must continue to adhere to preventive measures to prevent infection with Covid-19, for example, those who are immunocompromised, or others who have difficult health conditions and are still at risk of serious outcomes despite receiving the vaccine.
Also, the families of their children are still under the age of five, and therefore are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, although this is soon to be achieved.
The emergence of another infectious virus means that people who want to avoid infection with Covid-19 must continue to take precautions, the most prominent of which are wearing masks in closed places, and the quality of the mask used is very important. The best option is to place a mask that is suitable for the face in places and wear it for a longer time, such as the approved N95, KN95 or KF94 models.
Wear these masks any time you are indoors, near people whose vaccination status you cannot determine.
While numbers of coronavirus infection are high in your community, you may want to take extra precautions, such as asking everyone outside your household to get a quick test before meeting them in an enclosed space.
CNN: Will this be the last mutant we see?
Dr. Lina Wayne: Of course not, new mutants appear all the time, because that’s what viruses do: they change as they reproduce.
Whether a new mutation causes global concern depends on whether it is more contagious, more virulent, or if it can circumvent previous acquired immunity.
This is why real-time monitoring is important, and it’s also why vaccination is important. The more immune our population is, the less viruses will spread and mutate, and the sooner we can emerge from this pandemic.
