Omicron Subvariant has a Higher Transmission Rate than the Original

The WTO has announced that the Omicron subvariant does not show signs of being more serious than the current Omicron strain, however, it does seem to have a higher transmission rate- showing prevalence in Denmark, the Philippines, India, and Nepal.

According to a member of the WTO Response Team, Dr. Boris Pavlin, research as of yet proves the new subvariant has the same level of danger as the original Omicron strain. However, there are legitimate reservations regarding the faster transmission rate, with advice shared to get vaccinated. “Vaccination is profoundly protective against severe disease, including Omicron. BA.2 is rapidly replacing BA.1. Its impact is unlikely to be substantial, although more data is needed. Looking at other countries where BA.2 is now overtaking; we’re not seeing any higher bumps in hospitalisation than expected.”

A high-ranking medical advisor for the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Susan Hopkins, expressed that “Ongoing variant analysis is an important part of our pandemic response. BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households.”

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