The COVID-19 pandemic is still filled with viral mutations, the latest being the Omicron BA.2 variant dubbed the 'Son of Omicron'. Actually, what is Omicron BA.2 and where did it come from? Because this virus has been identified in a number of European countries to Asia.
We summarized, Thursday (27/1/2022) the following are facts related to Omicron BA.2 which are being discussed by netizens.
Technically, BA.2 is a derivative of the omicron variant (BA.1) which is currently still being researched. However, there are some differences, one of which is a mutation in the spike protein.
"The BA.2 strain, which differs from BA.1 in several mutations, including the spike protein, is increasing in many countries," the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote on its official website.
Some scientists have dubbed the BA.2 variant the 'stealth Omicron' or 'stealth Omicron'. This is because the Omicron BA.2 variant has genetic traits that make it more difficult to identify on PCR assays.
Which Countries Have Omicron BA.2 Cases Found?
The BA.2 variant has been identified in countries including Canada, England, Denmark, Sweden, India, Singapore, to the United States. There have been three cases of the BA.2 variant that have been found in the United States, according to reports from the Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas.
Is BA.2 More Dangerous than Omicron BA.1?
It is not known whether the BA.2 variant is more dangerous or not than the Omicron BA.1 variant, but the French Minister of Health Olivier Veran assesses that the BA.2 variant has more or less the same characteristics as the Omicron.
"Preliminary observations from India and Denmark show no dramatic difference in severity compared to BA.1 (Omicron). These data will become more solid (one way or another) in the coming weeks," wrote Imperial virologist Tom Peacock. College London via its Twitter account @PeacockFLU.
"There is likely to be a minimal difference in vaccine effectiveness against BA.1 and BA.2. Personally, I don't believe BA.2 will have a major impact on the current wave of the Omicron pandemic."