Lane County Public Health encourages masks as new COVID-19 subvariants rage

The omicron subvariant BA.5 has become the dominant strain in Lane County, making up more than 77.9% of sequenced COVID-19 cases, according to CDC data collected last week.

The takeover that has been spreading across the nation has reached the West.

The Oregon Health Authority believes the subvariant BA.5 is dominant in Oregon now, and that both BA.4 and BA.5 are driving the increase in hospitalizations, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state's health officer said at a news conference Wednesday.

In Lane County, omicron subvariant BA.4 appears to make up most current cases at the moment, with BA.5 close behind. This information was found in samples taken from sewage as well as local PCR tests, Lane County Public Health Spokesman Jason Davis shared with the Register-Guard Thursday.

A newly dominant subvariant brings new concerns, here's what you need to know:

How do the subvariants differ?

Experts are learning more about the subvariant as it plays out. So far, trends indicate that the transmissibility of BA.5 is high, Sidelinger said.

BA.5 also appears to have mutations that allow it to escape immunity. But officials say vaccinations are still playing a key role.

“People who are vaccinated — and particularly those who are up-to-date — seem to still have great protection even against BA.5 for hospitalization and death, even though it may not be preventing all transmission,” Sidelinger said.

There’s not enough data yet to be certain about how severe BA.5 is, Sideliner said, adding that the percentage of those who end up in the ICU seems to be up a bit, indicating it could be more severe than the first omicron subvariants.

Officials in Lane County have seen more lingering cases of the virus over the past six months, but can’t yet say if one subvariant of omicron is more responsible for the trend than others.

Hospitalizations up

Reported COVID-19 cases have leveled off in Oregon over the past month, Sidelinger said, from a rolling 7-day average of 1,455 to 1,400.

Cases likely are much higher, because many people take the rapid home tests and don’t report the results, or don’t test at all.

However, test positivity in the state grew over the past month, from 12.6% to 13.9% and the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 has risen.

The Wednesday total of 479 patients with COVID-19 is less than half the peaks during the Delta and Omicron waves, Sidelinger said. But the added strain comes at a vulnerable time when hospitals are dealing with vacations, staff burnout and resignations, and a backlog of postponed medical procedures.

Lane County had 40 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Wednesday, an increase from recent weeks.

Davis, with public health, echoed the state’s explanation for strained hospital systems. The number of patients in need of hospitalization hasn’t yet reached previous peaks, but in addition to staffing shortages and backlogged procedures, hospitals are dealing with an influx of emergencies associated with summer activities.

“People are jumping in cold water to escape and that always causes problems. People are staying up later, going to more parties, and incidences of traffic fatalities and injuries go up,” Davis said. “So that trauma season plays a factor.”

Davis said while more people are coming to the hospital because of the virus, their stays are averaging between two and three days — relatively short compared to past waves.

Officials still recommend vaccinations

In Lane County, about 75% of residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. However, public health is hesitant to celebrate that figure because many have not received their boosters and their immunity has waned with time.

"(Vaccines) are still providing significant protection against severe disease and even the likelihood of dying,” Sidelinger said. “This is what will keep most of us out of the hospital. Getting vaccinated and being up to date with your boosters remains our best tool.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday recommended a fourth COVID-19 vaccine option.

Novavax is a protein subunit, so it is made with a different technology than previously available vaccines. It's a potential option for those who are uncomfortable with mRNA vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech or the adenovirus vector vaccine from Johnson and Johnson.

Protein subunit vaccines package harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus alongside another ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system prepare to respond to the virus in the future, according to a news release from the CDC.

Vaccines using protein subunits have been used for more than 30 years in the United States. The vaccines used today to fight influenza and whooping cough are protein subunits. Novavax will soon be available in Oregon.

Lane County recommends masking

The CDC's COVID-19 community levels, a measure of the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems across the nation, lists Lane County as "high,” which means indoor masking is recommended.

However, the area’s risk level has fluctuated over the past few weeks. Using a different decision-making process, Lane County Public Health began recommending indoor masking for all community members July 13.

This recommendation was made in line with CDC guidelines, but with special attention to the fact that the area is coping with thousands of visitors from around the world for a variety of events, including the World Athletics Championships.

The recommendation will remain in place even if the county's CDC risk levels drops to "medium."

Despite the disruption yet another wave is causing, Davis is hopeful the county is close to reaching its peak caused by the omicron subvariants and will gradually see fewer cases going into the fall.

“Our community is gaining more and more resiliency with each and every variant — so that's positive,” Davis said. “However, we still see that reset button every time we get a new variant.”

Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT.

Statesman Journal reporter Tracy Loew contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: New omicron subvariants dominate, here’s what you need to know