The WHO warns of the spread of a new variant of omicron 2:24
(CNN) --
A subvariant of the omicron variant of the coronavirus known as BA.2 is causing a new wave of Covid-19 infections across Europe.
Cases in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and other countries are on the rise, fueled by this highly contagious strain of coronavirus.
The proportion of covid-19 cases due to the BA.2 subvariant is also increasing in the United States.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimates that 35% of new coronavirus cases are due to this subvariant.
At the same time, restrictions are being lifted and there is no longer a single state in the US with mask mandates in place (although masks are still required in some settings, such as airports, public transportation, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.). elderly and some schools and workplaces).
Cases of the BA.2 subvariant of ómicron increase in the United States and are already a third of covid-19 infections
To what extent should people care about the BA.2 variant?
Will vaccines protect against it?
And if someone caught a previous variant, could they get infected again?
Is BA.2 milder than previous versions, and if so, should people try to catch it?
Could the BA.2 subvariant cause another surge in the US, and is it time to reinstate restrictions?
To help us with these concerns, I spoke with Dr. Leana Wen, CNN Medical Analyst, ER Physician, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.
She is also the author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health."
CNN: What do we know about the BA.2 subvariant and to what extent should we be concerned?
Dr. Leana Wen:
With any new variant or subvariant, we have to ask three questions: Is it more contagious?
Does it cause more serious disease?
And does it evade the protection of our vaccines?
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The BA.2 subvariant is related to BA.1, which is the original omicron subvariant that caused the huge increase in cases over the winter here in the United States and across Europe.
The BA.1 devastated the communities because of how contagious it is.
BA.2 appears to be even more contagious than BA.1.
The UK Health Security Agency estimates that the BA.2 subvariant is growing 80% faster than BA.1.
Here in the US, too, BA.2 appears to be on track to overtake BA.1 to become the dominant variant.
The good news is that the BA.2 subvariant does not appear to cause more severe disease than BA.1.
Researchers from the UK and Denmark found that the BA.2 subvariant causes a comparable level of hospitalization to BA.1, which is less likely to cause severe illness than the previously dominant delta variant.
BA.2 should be considered a variant of concern and remain classified as omicron, says WHO
Also, the vaccines we have are still effective.
Although vaccination does not protect as well against infection with BA.1 and BA.2, efficacy in this regard is partially restored with a booster dose, and the vaccines still provide very good protection against severe disease due to both subvariants. of omicron
What all this tells me is that public health experts should keep a close eye on the rise in BA.2 cases in the US, but most people shouldn't worry.
The US is likely to see a spike in covid-19 cases in the coming weeks, as this is the pattern we've seen before: that we're a few weeks behind the UK and Europe, so that the increase they are registering could be reflected here.
However, it is unlikely that most vaccinated people, and particularly if they are boosted, will become seriously ill from the BA.2 subvariant.
Our government officials should prepare for what could come and increase the availability of tests and treatments, and continue to urge people to get vaccinated and booster shots.
But I don't think it's something that the general public should be overly concerned about right now.
CNN: Does that mean people can continue with their spring break and other travel plans, or do they have to postpone?
Wen:
I don't think travel plans should be postponed.
There is certainly uncertainty, as some places may have low rates of covid-19 now, but may have higher rates when it comes time to travel.
However, this may be so in the near future.
There are very few activities that we do without risk.
Traveling certainly carries risk, but you can reduce it by making sure you're vaccinated and boosted.
Wearing a mask in crowded, closed spaces further reduces the risk.
In the United States, follow CDC guidance and be sure to wear a mask in areas with high community levels of COVID-19.
If you're planning international travel, make sure you know the rules, including whether you need to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test.
Before social gatherings, immunocompromised people can ask others to get tested for Covid-19, suggests Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst.
CNN: Are there certain people who need to be concerned about the BA.2 subvariant?
Wen:
People who are highly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 disease despite vaccination should be concerned about coronavirus in general, just like other infectious pathogens.
For most people, COVID-19 infection will result in mild illness, but in some people, those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised or have multiple underlying medical conditions, the infection could result in hospitalization.
The BA.2 subvariant may not cause more severe illness than BA.1, but because it is contagious, especially vulnerable people will still need to take extra precautions.
This includes wearing a high-quality mask (N95, KN95, or KF94) in all indoor public places, avoiding large crowds, and traveling only for essential reasons.
Before meeting with other people, they can request that others take a covid-19 test.
CNN: If someone was previously infected with the omicron variant, are they protected against BA.2?
Wen:
The World Health Organization has said that infection with BA.1 still provides protection against BA.2.
A BA.2 infection after having BA.1 is rare.
Most people don't find out which variant they had, although this could be estimated based on when they were infected.
If someone found out they had covid-19 during the initial wave of omicron, chances are they had BA.1.
In that case, especially if they are also vaccinated, it is highly unlikely that they will get BA.2.
However, if someone was previously infected during another wave, for example while the delta variant was predominant, they could still get BA.1 or BA.2.
This is another reason why vaccination is so crucial, because the combination of vaccination and prior infection provides more consistent and long-lasting protection than prior infection alone.
CNN: The omicron variant is less intense than the previous ones. In that case, should people try to get the BA.2 subvariant just to get out of it?
Wen:
In general, it's not a good strategy to try to catch a disease.
The omicron variant is less likely to cause serious illness compared to the delta variant, but it still causes serious illness in some people.
In addition, even a minor illness can be very unpleasant, causing discomfort, missing work and not being able to care for family members for days.
It could also infect other people, and there is a chance that the symptoms will be long lasting.
A better strategy is to make sure you get the vaccine and the booster so that if you do come across BA.2 (or another variant of covid-19), you are as protected as possible.
CNN: Could the BA.2 subvariant cause another surge in the US, and if so, should the restrictions come back now?
Wen:
Certainly the BA.2 subvariant could cause another spike in COVID-19 infections in the United States.
There are already some signs that the sharp decline in new cases is leveling off, and if the US follows Europe's lead, as it has before, a surge in cases could be within weeks.
What is the new approach to the control of covid-19 in the United States?
Dr. Huerta explains the details of the new CDC guidelines
Having said that, I don't think this means we have to put restrictions back in place.
The goal of vaccination is to decouple infections from hospitalizations and serious illness.
If there is an increase in infections, but hospitalizations are not increasing to the point that our healthcare system is overwhelmed, then I think government mandates are not justified.
In this sense, the new CDC guidelines are very useful, since they take into account severe illness, severe enough to cause hospitalizations, as the metric to recommend the use of a mask, and not any infection.
Of course, the fact that the government does not require the use of a mask does not mean that individuals should not wear them or take other precautions.
At this time in the pandemic, people should make decisions based on their own medical circumstances and tolerance for risk.
ómicronCoronavirus variants
