Now a new sub-variant of the Omicron variant, which has brought the third wave of corona in many countries of the world including India, has now emerged, which scientists have named BA.2. This variant is growing very fast and due to this, cases of corona have started increasing again in many countries of the world including America.
How different is this new variant from the previous variant of Corona, can it lead to another wave of corona in the US and how to protect ourselves from this variant? It has been explained in detail by immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitji Nagarkatti of the University of South Carolina-
What is the BA.2 variant of Corona and how is it related to Omicron?
The BA.2 is the newest sub-variant of Omicron. It is a stronger form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. There is no clear information about how the BA.2 variant was first created. However, in a short span of time, it has rapidly become a major strain in many countries including India, Denmark and South Africa. It is also spreading in Europe, Asia and many parts of the world.
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The Omicron variant is officially known as the B.1.1529 strain of SARS-CoV-2. The lineage of Omicron variants has three sub-variants – BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Scientists first detected the BA.1 sub-variant, which was detected in South Africa in November 2021.
Scientists believe that all the sub-variants must have emerged around the same time. The BA.1 sub-variant was thought to be responsible for the spurt in corona cases during the winter in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere.
The first sub-variant BA.1 of the Omicron variant contains more than 30 mutations in the spike protein that help it enter cells. Spike protein mutation is the factor that determines how highly infectious a variant can be.
There are eight mutations found in BA.2 that are not found in the BA.1 sub-variant. At the same time, more than 30 such mutations are found, which is found in BA.1. Because of this similarity in heredity, it has been considered a sub-variant of Omicron.
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Why is it called a ‘stealth’ variant?
Some scientists have called BA.2 a ‘stealth’ variant because, unlike the BA.1 variant, it lacks a special genetic signature that distinguishes it from the delta variant.
The RT-PCR test is still able to detect the BA.2 variant and is not able to differentiate it from the delta variant.
Is it more contagious and lethal than the other variants?
BA.2 is believed to be more contagious but no more deadly than BA.1. This means that although BA.2 can spread more quickly than BA.1, it cannot make people more sick.
Due to BA.1, cases of corona are spreading rapidly in the world at this time, but it causes less severe disease than the delta variant. Recent studies from the UK and Denmark suggest that BA.2 may cause the same risk of hospitalization as BA.1.
Does being infected with BA.1 reduce the risk of becoming infected with BA.2?
Yes! In a recent study it has been found that a person infected with the BA.1 variant has a reduced risk of getting infected with BA.2. Since many countries of the world have already been infected with BA.1 variants. So some scientists predict that BA.2 will be less likely to produce another big wave.
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