Could a new COVID variant identified in NC spread faster than omicron? Doctors are exploring

Evan Moore
·2 min read
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As the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in North Carolina continues to rise, scientists are observing a new mutation of the omicron variant.

The subvariant has been dubbed BA.2, a mutation of the current omicron strain, which is called BA.1.

The new variant has also been referred to as “stealth omicron,” because of a genetic trait that makes it harder to detect through PCR or antigen tests.

The World Health Organization said BA.2 cases are “increasing in many countries,” including India, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Just 54 cases have been reported in the U.S., including two in North Carolina, according to outbreak.info, a global COVID-19 dashboard.

Here’s what to know about the new subvariant:

Where did BA.2 originate?

BA.2 was first detected in the U.S. in December, but scientists have yet to determine where the subvariant originated. BA.1 remains the dominant strain, but more than 10,000 BA.2 cases have been reported worldwide.

Does BA.2 spread faster?

Based on current data, BA.2 “appears to be more transmissible” than BA.1, according to Sabrina Assoumou, a doctor at Boston Medical Center.

“The data we have seems to suggest that it has very similar severity to omicron,” Assoumou told NBC Boston. “It seems that it’s immune evasion is very similar to omicron, so it’s going to be even more important to encourage people to get boosted.”

What are the symptoms of BA.2?

Those who contract BA.2 can experience similar symptoms associated with other variants, like cough, fatigue, congestion and sore throat. There is no evidence yet that shows BA.2 causes more severe illness than BA.1.

How well does the COVID-19 vaccine protect against BA.2?

Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, a government-funded infectious disease research center, said in a statement that “it is expected that vaccines have an effect against severe illness upon BA.2 infection.”

Pfizer recently announced it began a study comparing it’s original COVID-19 vaccine with doses modified to match omicron, to develop a vaccine that will specifically target the highly contagious variant.