The BA.2 variant

amandstu

Think it might be useful to start a thread on this wee chap.

I imagine some would rather not think about it or contemplate it,but I saw this article today on the CNN site and think it might be a story that could develop

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/17/health/ba-2-covid-severity/index.html

There seems to be uncertainty as to the consequentiality of this variant and these studies may be just in the lab ...

Still we might find ourselves taking it quite seriously in time (hopefully not obvs)

Deeper Blue

https://nypost.com/2022/02/16/ba-2-omicron-subvariant-is-no-more-severe-than-original-study/

I'd imagine the above is a better indicator, as it's based on real world data. The study mentioned in the CNN article was a) Lab based, b) Tested on hamsters and c) not peer reviewed.

amandstu

Going by that NY Post article provided by @Deeper Blue ,if BA-2 is comparable in severity to the original variant but even more transmissible than Omicron ,would that imply that it would be pretty dangerous for anyone who did not have their double vaccine or their booster shot(and was in any kind of a high risk category)?

It also says there,I think that it is starting to become more prevalent in Denmark. So perhaps Denmark 's experience in the coming weeks may be telling?(think I may have heard or read they have dropped all restrictions there)

NedsNotDead

I'm sure Tony Maloney will be back posting soon trying to scare the pants of us

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118650878#Comment_118650878

That study is in hamsters. Hamsters aren't humans. Real world data from South Africa does not indicate increased severity.

https://twitter.com/miamalan/status/1493989296738553865?t=hcADLvygI8KgK5kaeJvaFA&s=19

It's been dominant in Denmark for a while now. It's growth rate is pretty inconsistent across countries. This is probably due to cross immunity from BA.1. It seems to be slowing in the UK. It will more than likely displace BA.1 eventually and cause a long tail in cases but doesn't look likely to cause a major wave.

https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1494100137882308615?t=zsWeo_tRy2dTmEMrkAjrzA&s=19

Leftwaffe

Ah yea, a new variant on the days all restrictions are gone. One final scare. Why not?

Micky 32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118650878#Comment_118650878

BA-1 is already as severe as the original Wuhan virus. But because of vaccination and worlwide natural immunity from previous waves and of course less severity than Delta the impact is less severe overall.

amandstu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118651836#Comment_118651836

Thanks.I suspected something on those lines.

Without trying to be overly alarmist it does indicate to me that those who are not fully vaccinated would be at risk from this (and other similar) variant in the event that it (or they become prevalent to any serious degree.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118652853#Comment_118652853

That was already the case.

Micky 32

https://twitter.com/laoneill111/status/1495422787523125248?s=21