All about the new sub-strain of Omicron
The past two years have been extremely challenging for everyone. The world continues to be in the grip of the pandemic and there seems to be no stop to it at all. Although we have made some progress and developed COVID vaccines to battle the deadly virus, new emerging variants have become a major source of concern, hindering our attempt to go back to normal.
As we were just getting used to the Omicron variant, another sub-strain of the variant of concern has emerged. The newly discovered subvariant of the COVID's Omicron variant, called Stealth Omicron or BA.2, has been reported in about 40 countries including India, Denmark, United Kingdom, Sweden, Singapore and many more. What's worse? Some experts believe this new subtype may be difficult to detect.
What is stealth Omicron?
Stealth Omicron or BA.2 is a sub-lineage of the highly infectious Omicron variant, with possibly more mutations than its parent strain. It is currently a ‘variant under investigation’. The UK Health Service Agency (UKHSA) said that it is one level below the status of ‘variant of concern’ given by the World Health Organization (WHO).
While England has reported around 400 cases of stealth Omicron, Denmark has been listed as the most affected country with about 79% of the cases detected so far. India is also one of the countries impacted by the sub-strain.
Should we be worried?
While COVID variants are highly unpredictable, early findings in Denmark suggest that stealth Omicron does not pose any serious threat to life. It does not cause severe symptoms nor does it increase the risk of hospitalization or death.
According to a statement released by Denmark’s Statens Serum Institute, a government-run infectious disease research center, “Initial analysis shows no differences in hospitalizations for BA.2 compared to BA.1." “It is expected that vaccines also have an effect against severe illness upon BA.2 infection," the statement further read.
How is it different from the original Omicron variant? What makes it concerning?
Although the new sub-variant is said to be mild just like the original Omicron, the factor that separates it from Omicron and makes it more concerning is its ability to avoid detection.
Experts have come to the fore and said that the stealth Omicron lacks a mutation, which is integral to the detecting process. It is what made the original strain to be detected in the COVID PCR tests.
As is known, an RT-PCR test identifies the spike gene, which is the protein that tells us whether it is the variant of the COVID-19 or not. According to the U.K. Health Security Agency, COVID's Omicron variant contains a a genetic deletion in the “S” spike gene that helps healthcare providers to easily detect it. However, in the stealth Omicron, there is no S gene drop out, making it difficult to track and to to confirm if it is BA.2 or some other variant.
Symptoms to watch out for
Currently, there is no scientific evidence to tell if the new sub-variant is different from the Omicron, in terms of symptoms.
It's believed that stealth Omicron also causes mild symptoms.
As far as the original Omicron variant is concerned, here are the most common symptoms reported so far, as per UK's ZOE symptoms study App:
- Runny nose
- Scratchy throat
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Sneezing
- Body pain
- Night sweats
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
Steps to take
Currently, while getting your vaccines and booster shots should be prioritized, wearing your masks, maintaining social distance and following proper hand hygiene is crucial.