TAMPA, Fla. — As COVID-19 variants continue to mutate, scientists have identified a sub-variant of omicron called BA.2.
Scientists have referred to it as “stealth omicron” because it cannot be distinguished from other variants on the PCR tests that public health officials use. To identify it, further lab analysis is needed.
So far the new variant has been reported in four U.S. states – California, New Mexico, Texas and Washington state. Cases are rising in other countries including the Philippines, India, Denmark and South Africa, according to Lemieux.
Scientists say BA.2 has an array of mutations.
"About 20 of them in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus are shared with the original omicron," the AP reports. "But it also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version."
To get a sharper insight we spoke with Dr. Michael Teng. He’s a virologist at USF Health studying Immunology and Infectious Diseases.
According to Dr. Teng, this sub-variant of omicron seems to operate the same way as the initial variant and is no cause for alarm.
“It's interesting, scientifically, but it's not going to affect your day-to-day life. We had variants of delta, for example, there were at least three variants of delta. It really was not, it doesn't change how you should approach your life, you know, and get vaccinated, get boosted,” he said.
Dr. Teng adds that if you get omicron BA.2 you will still test positive for COVID-19 on a PCR or even an at-home rapid test, but further analysis is needed to determine which variant it is.
He says based on what we know about COVID-19 and the many variants, it’s likely in the United States, but because we only sequence about 5-10 percent of cases nationwide it just hasn’t been detected yet.
Just like with the original omicron variant, which remains dominant, Dr. Teng says this one seems to have mild medical implications for those who are vaccinated and boosted.
But Dr. Teng says it's important to note that mild is a relative term because omicron is still causing hospitalizations and even deaths among the unvaccinated worldwide.
