Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. There will be a coprimary endpoint : Neutralizing antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 variant of most prominent public health interest according to pandemic evolution (among D614G, B.1.351, Omicron sub-variants BA.4-5, BQ1.1 and XBB or another recent variant) and against one of the variant targeted by the vaccines. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. Effectiveness of first and second COVID19 mRNA vaccine monovalent No cases have been identified in the UK. Due to the early nature of the findings, all estimates are subject to significant uncertainty and are subject to change. BA.2, a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant, Explained - Health UKHSA is constantly monitoring the situation and working to understand the implications for public health. As we all work to limit the high levels of transmission of this variant over the Christmas period, we are urging people to test regularly, particularly before attending social gatherings. However, some experts believe that BA.2 doesn't present symptoms different from the original Omicron. The designation was made on the basis that this sub-lineage has become increasingly common in the UK in recent months, and there is some early evidence that it may have an increased growth rate in the UK compared to Delta. In England, the infection rate increased in those aged 25 years to 49 years and those aged 70 years and over in the week ending 21 February 2023. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing. Working from home where possible, consistently wearing masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, washing your hands regularly and isolating and getting tested if you feel unwell are also vitally important in reducing the impact of COVID-19 this winter. Cases are currently very high in the UK, and even a relatively low proportion requiring hospitalisation could result in a significant number of people becoming seriously ill. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. In severe cases, the SpO2 Level may also decrease. BA.2 omicron symptoms list as variant spreads in US - Fast Company The newest COVID variant taking the world by storm is Omicron's stealthy sub-variant BA.2, and it seems to have brought on a new barrage of gastrointestinal symptoms with it. While specific symptoms to BA.2 are not yet available, the NHS lists the main symptoms for Covid-19 as: a high temperature a new, continuous cough a. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Fatigue. Sliding to mild? Nopeomicron BA.2 caused worse COVID symptoms than BA Of those patients admitted to hospital,17had received a booster vaccine, 74 people had 2 doses and 27 people were not vaccinated. We will continue to closely analyse all available biological, epidemiological and genomic evidence for any SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK or internationally. What are the symptoms of BA.2? Its very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing. As prevalence increases, its more important than ever that we all remain alert, take precautions, and ensure that were up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, which remain our best form of defence against the virus. Although there was a rapid increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections in care homes during December 2021 in line with case rises in the community, there has not been an associated increase in hospital admissions. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. The analysis shows that coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK are primarily made up of BQ.1 and its sublineages, consistent with the UKHSA risk assessment published in October. Studies in the UK reveal (where stealth Omicron is already spreading at a high rate) that people infected with the sub-variant show gut-related . Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. BA.2 variant: Everything we know about the new Covid strain - Metro The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 8 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 5 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. Analyses of sequenced SGTF samples has indicated that until mid-November, more than 99% of these were Delta cases. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing containing updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk and vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease and hospitalisation. What are the symptoms of BA.2? Runny nose/congestion. Download the data.xlsx. Omicron BA.2: The 'stealth' variant could cause more 'severe' disease The latest data confirmed that among those who had received 2 doses of AstraZeneca, there was no effect against Omicron from 20 weeks after the second dose. Omicron BA.2.75, the variant derived from the BA.2 lineage which was identified internationally earlier this month, has now been categorised as a separate variant and given the. This new mutation dubbed BA.2.75 is concerning scientists because it appears to spread fast, bypassing the protection offered by COVID-19 vaccines and immunity from previous infection, the Associated Press reported Monday. The omicron variant of the coronavirus was first detected in late 2021. In India, BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants of Covid, BA.2 was first detected in the Philippines, About half of new cases in Denmark are caused by BA.2, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. New Omicron BA.2 variant symptoms - What we know so far - Yahoo Life UK Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. Omicron BA2 symptoms include taste loss. They could be strangers (for example people you sit next to on public transport) or people you may have regular contact with (for example friends and work colleagues). SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. Omicron BA.2: What we know about the Covid sub-variant Where individualsare suspected or confirmed to have theOmicron variantas the result of testing, their close contacts will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, required to self-isolate and asked to take aPCRtest,regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". There are no confirmed cases in Northern Ireland. We have seen a rise in hospital admissions in line with community infections but vaccinations are continuing to keep ICU admissions and deaths at low levels. The pace of sharing sequences by India is very slow, median days from collection to deposition is 69 days according to GISAID. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 41. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. It is never too late to come forward for your first dose and its vital that everyone comes forward to get boosted now as we head into the new year. Until the week beginning 23 November 2021, the weekly count of cases with SGTF was routinely less than 150, making up less than 0.1% of all cases. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause - TheHealthSite Added breakdown of cases by local authority to latest update. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties including its response to current vaccines. It appears to have a growth advantage compared to the version of Omicron, BA.1, that has swept the globe. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. What is the stealth omicron, or BA.2, variant? Please make sure to wear a mask in line with government guidance, including on public transport and in shops, to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. So, like the original omicron strain (BA.1), the primary symptoms of a mild BA.2 infection are a cough, fever, fatigue and possible loss of taste or smell. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. The UK has been hard-hit by a further spike in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with infections being driven by a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant known as BA.2 or "Stealth Omicron". For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London and North West. As of 2 May 2022, 21 confirmed cases of Omicron BA.4 and 19 confirmed cases of Omicron BA.5 have been detected in England. 1. Omicron Sub-Variant BA.2: Symptoms, Differences, And Chances Of Symptoms of BA.2 appear to largely mirror those of the original version of the omicron variant: an upper respiratory illness that causes sore throat, cough, congestion, headache and fatigue. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. Studiesof households and contactshave found that there is a higher risk of transmission to contacts from an Omicron case, when compared to Delta. Data by variant related to intensive care unit admissions is presented and an analysis into the effect of the recent surge of Omicron cases in care homes is also available in the latest technical briefing. Positive tests with sufficient virus detected from people arriving in the UK are sent for confirmation through Whole Genome Sequencing, regardless of the presence or absence of SGTF. Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest insights: Infections In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. So, like the original omicron strain (BA.1), the primary symptoms of a mild BA.2 infection are a cough, fever, fatigue and possible loss of taste or smell.