This sub-variant seems, for the moment, of severity comparable to Omicron. Cautionary, scientists expect to know more about its characteristics and possible consequences on the Pandemic of Covid-19.
Le Monde with AFP
Appeared a few weeks ago, a sub-variant of Omicron is now closely followed by epidemiologists. If Ba.2 – the name of this sub-variant – seems close to the initial version, the scientists want to know more about its characteristics and its possible consequences on the pandemic of Covid-19.
The Omicron name is actually a “generic term” which refers to several very close virus lineages, explains the World Health Organization (WHO), Friday, January 21, in its weekly point. Among these lignages-brothers monitored under the name of Omicron, it is the one designated by the name BA.1 which is almost hegemonic. But some data attract attention: Ba.2, another of these lineages, would have become the majority in India or Denmark, where the number of daily cases left on the rise.
“What surprised us is the speed with which this sub-variant, which circulated a lot in Asia, settled in Denmark,” said France-Press (AFP) Epidemiologist Antoine Flahault. “The country was expecting a peak of contaminations in mid-January; it did not happen and perhaps it is due to this sub-variant, which seems very transmissible but no more virulent” than the original variant, continues -It.
Cautious scientists but not alarmist
For the moment, the health authorities are waiting to know more.
“What interests us is whether (this sub-variant) has different characteristics (of Ba.1) in terms of contagiousness, immune exhaust or severity,” said the agency on Friday. Public France.
To date, sub-variant BA.2 has been detected in France, “but at very low levels”. In Denmark, on the other hand, it gradually replaces the BA.1, the “classical” Omicron variant, noted the French public health agency. “The Danish authorities have no explanation for this phenomenon but it is closely followed,” she added. France on its side “follows closely the data that will be produced by Denmark”.
Prudent
Scientists do not seem as alarmist. For Antoine Flahault, it’s still too early to worry, but “vigilance” is worth. “We have the moment the impression that it is severity comparable to Omicron but many questions are still on the table,” he adds, inviting to “put in place screening techniques to detect well “Ba.2 and” see quickly what are its properties “.
“Very early observations in India and Denmark suggest that there is no major difference in gravity compared to Ba.1,” Tom Peacock tweeted, virologist at the Imperial College of London. According to him, the observed mutations should not call into question the effectiveness of vaccines. “Even with a slightly higher transmissibility” than the classic Omicron version, it does not expect a change equivalent to that which has occurred when the latter varies supplanted Delta. “I do not think BA.2 will have a substantial impact on the current wave of the pandemic,” he observed.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran has also estimated Thursday that BA.2 does not “change the situation” at this point, while keeping a definitive judgment. “There are variants fairly regularly,” he recalled at a press conference with Prime Minister Jean Castex. “For what we know for now, it corresponds little or prou to the characteristics we know Omicron,” added the minister.