Experts urge caution as ultra contagious BA.4 and BA.5 COVID-19 strains spread in Oklahoma

Several highly contagious COVID-19 strains have sent cases climbing again, and health experts are urging Oklahomans to take precautions, especially when traveling.

While case counts are still much lower than the height of the original omicron variant wave in late 2021 and early 2022, cases statewide are over five times higher than they were this time last year and have been steadily rising since April.

In Oklahoma County, infections are now 10 times higher than they were a year ago, said epidemiologist Kunle Adesigbin, with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department.

Oklahoma added 9,200 cases to its statewide count this week. But the true number of infections is almost certainly much higher, since at-home test results aren’t included in official numbers.

Hospitalizations also have risen in recent weeks, but are still relatively low compared to previous waves.

Nearly all cases in the region are coming from three subvariants of the omicron COVID-19 variant: BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5.

All are more contagious than the original omicron variant. And what’s more troubling about those three subvariants is a mutation they each carry that helps them evade antibodies someone may have from a previous omicron infection.

“In December and January, we saw this huge number of Oklahomans get infected with omicron,” said Dr. Dale Bratzler, chief COVID officer with the University of Oklahoma. “We're seeing lots of … fully vaccinated people breaking through and being infected with one of these variants.”

BA.5 seems to be the most contagious of the three, Bratzler said. It now makes up about 50% of cases in our region, which also includes Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Phil Maytubby, chief operating officer of the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, said he expects to see higher case rates in the fall. He's especially concerned about infections causing disruptions at schools and day cares.

"Even though people aren't ending up in the hospital, we're having a lot more people come down with COVID. If you have COVID, guess what? You can't work. If you have kids in day care, you can't put them in the day care anymore," he said. "It's gonna have an impact on us, and it probably already is, we just aren't really able to see it yet."

He urged residents to be aware of their surroundings and to make choices that can lower their risk of getting or spreading COVID.

"You need to be smart about what you do," Maytubby said. "If you're in a situation where you know the cases are rising in our area, and you're around people you don't know, maybe you want to put (a mask) on."

And if someone's coughing, "you might want to give them some distance," he said.

Precautions for traveling

Precautions like hand-washing, mask-wearing and distancing are important in any mass gathering, but especially when traveling, said Dr. David Holden, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Holden said he's heard anecdotally of more people getting sick after traveling.

While masks are no longer required in airports and on planes, experts have said a well-fitting mask can offer protection for the wearer and can prevent someone who may not know they're sick from spreading the virus to others.

"I think masks are going to be more and more important right now in airports, airplanes, any kind of mass transit," Holden said.

Staying up to date on vaccinations and booster doses also is important, Holden and Bratzler said.

"My recommendations for people as they're getting ready to take their summer trips and do things like that is, first, make sure you're vaccinated," Bratzler said. "That gives you by far the best protection."

Booster doses are recommended for anyone 5 years old and up, after they've had their initial vaccination series. People 50 or older or immunocompromised adults of any age are encouraged to get a second booster.

When to test

As infections rise, testing is crucial, Holden said.

If people feel ill, they should test right away, either with an at-home kit or at a testing location, he said.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 but get a negative result — especially with rapid antigen tests like the ones in the at-home testing kits — have a "high level of suspicion," Holden said.

Sometimes a test may need to be repeated a day or two after the first test, he said. In other words, one negative COVID-19 test isn't always a sure-fire sign that you're in the clear.

"Since the outset of using the rapid antigen tests, we've known that they are not as sensitive," Bratzler said. "If somebody thinks they've been exposed or they have symptoms that they're concerned could be consistent with COVID and they get a negative test, we strongly recommend that they repeat in 24 to 48 hours ... because early false negatives have been widely reported with the antigen tests."

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department has COVID-19 vaccines available at three clinic locations. For information, go to vaxokc.com, or search for vaccines by your ZIP code at vaccines.gov.

The city-county Health Department also has testing resources available on its site, testokc.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: COVID-19 cases rising in Oklahoma with arrival of BA.4, BA.5 strains