We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against becoming severely ill from this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. Analysis from routine contact tracing data indicates that transmission is likely to be higher among contacts of BA.2 cases in households (13.4%) than those for contacts of other Omicron cases(10.3%) in the period 27 December 2021 to 11 January 2022. Working from home where possible, consistently wearing masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, washing your hands regularly and isolating and getting tested if you feel unwell are also vitally important in reducing the impact of COVID-19 this winter. What is Stealth Omicron? Symptoms of the Covid variant responsible for There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. Overall, the original Omicron lineage, BA.1, is dominant in the UK and the proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low. If the growth rate and doubling time continue at the rate we have seen in the last 2 weeks, we expect to see at least 50% of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases to be caused by Omicron variant in the next 2 to 4 weeks. 1. UKHSAis acting to get scientific information available as quickly as possible in order to inform the right balance of interventions to prevent transmission and protect lives. The percentage of people to have received a booster dose will also already be higher in older age groups and those with underlying health conditions due to prioritisation of the rollout so far. They are our best defence and we have turbocharged our rollout programme inviting 7 million more people over the age of 40 to get their booster jab so even more people get protection from this disease. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case, their close contacts will be contacted and advised to isolate for 10 days and to take a test. BA.2, also coined as the "stealth" variant, is a relative of Omicron's original variant, BA.1, which tore through the Australian community over Christmas and the New Year period. Well send you a link to a feedback form. BA.2 Symptoms, Protection and More: What We Know as Omicron Subvariant A total 637 cases of XE a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have been confirmed in the UK so far. moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk of . Download the data.xlsx. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs [lateral flow devices] and take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test if symptoms develop.". We expect the vaccines to show higher protection against the serious complications of COVID-19, so if you havent yet had your first 2 doses please book an appointment straight away. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that if Omicron continues to grow at the present rate, the variantwill become the dominant strain, accounting for more than 50% of all COVID-19 infections in the UK by mid-December. UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. What doctors wish patients knew about the BA.2 Omicron subvariant Although hospitalisations and deaths remain low, cases are still high in some areas and some age groups so its important that we continue to act cautiously as restrictions are lifted. Of symptomatic cases, loss of smell and taste was found to be more common in people who tested positive for Delta than those who had Omicron. The odds of reporting long COVID symptoms four to eight weeks after a first COVID-19 infection were 21.8% higher after an infection compatible with Omicron BA.2 than Omicron BA.1 among adults who were triple-vaccinated when infected; this was after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and time since last COVID-19 vaccination. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. The Omicron Variant of COVID-19 - WebMD The risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is greatest when someone who is infected is physically close to, or sharing an enclosed or poorly ventilated space with, other people. So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1, but data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate. There have been recent reports of people who experience symptoms like those of viral meningitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. There will be no other categorisation of variants, including no variant under investigation (VUI) category. Omicron and its Subvariants: A Guide to What We Know Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. One dose of any vaccine was associated with a 35% reduced risk of hospitalisation among symptomatic cases with the Omicron variant, 2 doses with a 67% reduction up to 24 weeks after the seconddose and a 51% reduced risk 25 or more weeks after the seconddose. Neutralisation studies are currently being undertaken at the University of Oxford. BA.2.75.2 Variant: What We Know About 'Centaurus,' Vaccines | Time An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. While in the UK, the individual was in Westminster, London. The data suggests this risk is significantly reduced following a booster vaccine, so I urge everyone to take up their booster when eligible. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease from Omicron is not yet known but is expected to be significantly higher than protection against symptomatic disease. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. According to the ZOE study - conducted across Omicron and Delta waves for comparison - there are five key symptoms of the Omicron variant. Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. As we all work to limit the high levels of transmission of this variant over the Christmas period, we are urging people to test regularly, particularly before attending social gatherings. The Omicron variant sub-lineage known as BA.2 has been designated a variant under investigation ( VUI-22JAN-01) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). UKHSAs new analysis examines 3 recombinants, known as XF, XE, and XD. There is currently no data on the severity of BA.2. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. The newest COVID variant taking the world by storm is Omicron's stealthy sub-variant BA.2, and it seems to have brought on a new barrage of gastrointestinal symptoms with it. For example, there are still a small number of cases of other variants, such as Alpha, in the UK which would also result in S-gene dropout or there is a lower amount of virus present in the sample where S-gene dropout cannot be confirmed. The UKHSAs COVID-19 variant technical briefing 43, published today, includes epidemiological analysis that shows that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now make up more than half of new COVID-19 cases in England, accounting for approximately 22% and 39% of cases, respectively. 34 Subsequent studies that were performed in periods when a mix of BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 viruses circulated have reported low effectiveness of a second booster against . The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing describing ongoing work on the Omicron variant. As of 30 November 2021, there are 22 confirmed cases of Omicron (B.1.1.529), identified through sequencing or genotyping in England. We constantly assess the genetic diversity within the known variants of concern (VOCs) to inform our ongoing public health response to the pandemic. "It's important to know and recognize all of the. Omicron BA.2 lacks the genetic deletion on the spike protein which produces S-gene target failure (SGTF) in some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which has been used as a proxy for Omicron cases previously. Infection rate corrected to one million infections a day. Neither have currently been designated as variants of concern. Trends in SGTF over and time are however affected by the coverage of laboratories contributing to this surveillance data. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. This is very encouraging. Omicron BA.2 Variant Severity Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. According to Baric, Omicron is the first SARS-CoV-2 variant to evolve in the context of mounting immunity in the populationthe result of vaccines and prior infection with other forms of the . A thirddose was associated with a 68% (95% confidence interval 52 to 82%) reduced risk of hospitalisation when compared to similar unvaccinated individuals. Runny nose (especially in combination with loss of smell) A runny nose is a universal sign of cold, flu and now COVID-19. As we cautiously return to Plan A, I encourage you to give yourself and your loved ones the best protection possible and Get Boosted Now. Apart from dizziness and fatigue, some other signs of BA.2 Omicron Variants include: Fever and body aches Loss of taste Nausea or Vomiting Abdominal pain Fever Extreme fatigue Coughing Sore throat Muscular fatigue Elevated heart rate Breathless in severe cases readmore End of Story New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. Symptoms of BA.2 appear to largely mirror those of the original version of the omicron variant: an upper respiratory illness that causes sore throat, cough, congestion, headache and fatigue. Omicron symptoms: What we know about illness caused by the new subvariants Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 were designated as variants of concern on 18 May on the basis of an apparent growth advantage over the previously-dominant Omicron BA.2 variant. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 have also been identified in Scotland, with 4 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 2 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: This data is yet more evidence that vaccines remain our best line of defence against COVID-19. UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Susan Hopkins said: It is increasingly evident that Omicron is highly infectious and there is emerging laboratory and early clinical evidence to suggest that both vaccine-acquired and naturally acquired immunity against infection is reduced for this variant. Omicron BA2 symptoms include taste loss. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19, this data should be interpreted with caution, This assessment is based on analysis of UK data, data on Omicron cases is published regularly here, Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: technical briefings, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government, let fresh air in if meeting others indoors, wear a face covering or a face mask, particularly if you are in crowded and enclosed spaces. Our data shows that LFD tests are similarly able to detect COVID-19 in individuals who have been exposed to Omicron as in those exposed to previous variants. The study also showed evidence to suggest that the BA.2 sub-variant is better able to evade vaccines. It is never too late to come forward for your first dose and its vital that everyone comes forward to get boosted now as we head into the new year. This edition includes an update on the current circulating lineages, including several cases of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 which have been detected in the UK. It includes a complete list of studies planned and already under way into the emerging variant. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. If you develop any symptoms, isolate immediately and get a PCR test. Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA said: It is clear that the increasing prevalence of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are significantly increasing the case numbers we have observed in recent weeks. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant. Current guidance from NHS England is that the main symptoms of Covid continue to be a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense. BA.2 omicron symptoms According to the CDC, the symptoms of Covid-19, including BA.2, are: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body. Please make sure you follow all the available guidance. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. This analysis found that the risk of presentation to emergency care or hospital admission with Omicron (testing for symptomatic or asymptomatic infection) was approximately half of that for Delta, while the risk of hospital admission alone with Omicron was approximately one-third of that for Delta. What is Omicron sub-variant BA.2? All we know about the symptoms and The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. As of 17 May, 115 cases of BA.4 and 80 cases of BA.5 have been confirmed in England and the latest UKHSA variant technical briefing has been published today. Booster jabs are protecting people against infection and severe disease so I urge you to play your part in our national mission and get boosted now. What are the five main Omicron symptoms? - Open Access Government Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London and North West. The Omicron BA.2 subvariant is fast becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19, with symptoms similar to previous strains of the virus. 2. Following the change in Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice yesterday, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. XBB.1.5 remains at very low prevalence in the UK, so estimates of growth are highly uncertain. How Long Do Omicron BA.2 Symptoms Last? - Verywell Health According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 99% of viral DNA submitted to the global GISAID database as of 25 January were identified as this sub-variant. Wear a mask in crowded spaces and, when meeting people indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate the room. Please make sure to wear a mask in line with government guidance, including on public transport and in shops, to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. BA.2 Symptoms Doctors Are Seeing The Most Right Now - Yahoo! News That contrasts to Denmark, where it has become dominant. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. A detrimental change in biological properties (changes in transmissibility, severity or immune evasion) compared to the current dominant variant. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. Prior infection is 44% effective at preventing future infection, increasing to 71% with 3 doses of the vaccine.
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