The Omicron variant has become the dominant variant not just in the US but across the world. While experts are worried about its rapid growth, there are more concerns in the form of Omicron subvariants. According to experts, the new subvariant Omicron BA 2 is far more contagious than the original Omicron strain. The BA 2 subvariant is not a major threat in the US, but it is growing at a rapid pace in many other countries.
According to official data, the new subvariant accounts for less than 1% of the total cases. However, the BA 2 variant accounts for nearly half of the total Covid cases in other countries. Considering this growth, experts are worried that the BA 2 subvariant can affect the US in a big way. Earlier, the Omicron variant was first discovered in South Africa in November 2021. The variant was first noticed in the US only during the year-end time. However, it has affected millions of people within a few weeks and is now responsible for nearly all Covid cases in the US.
Covid Experts Worry About Omicron BA 2 Subvariant
Even though experts do not know much about the BA 2 subvariant, they are clear that this new subvariant is more contagious than the original BA 1 variant. According to estimates, the BA 2 subvariant is about 50% more contagious than the original strain of Omicron. However, the severity of infection has remained the same even with BA 2 variant, and it is not more dangerous than the original Omicron strain.
The new subvariant BA 2 also affects vaccinated people, and it is important to stay protected by wearing a mask. Experts also suggest getting a booster dose if available as it can offer additional protection against the virus. With the regular two doses of vaccines, the protection goes as high as 90% soon after vaccination. However, it can come down to about 50% after about six months from the second dose. Due to this reason, there are chances that such people can get infected with the Omicron variant. By taking the booster dose, the protection level again increases to about 85%, preventing Omicron infection.
It is also important to wear masks in public places and maintain Covid safety protocols as much as possible to avoid infection. It is generally observed that vaccinated people do not wear masks when they go out of home as they feel that they have protection against the virus due to vaccines. However, it is important to understand that vaccine protection fades with time, and nothing protects more than the masks in many cases.
According to experts, nearly 30% of the adult population in the US is yet to get vaccinated, and this is not a good situation. Such vulnerable people provide more options for the virus to mutate into new strains, and the situation will not come under control till everyone gets vaccinated. This is a distant dream in the US, considering the pace at which vaccination is going on in the country. The vaccination rate has not improved for many months, and people are not caring about the booster dose.
The vaccines are now available for children above the age of 5. But many parents are not too keen on getting their kids vaccinated in this wave. As Omicron causes milder symptoms when compared to Delta, many people have not taken it seriously. The vaccination rate is very less among kids, and it has not even crossed the 50% mark in children above the age of 5. This has to improve in order to counter new subvariants of the virus.
