Whilst there are insufficient data to quantify either vaccine effectiveness or risk of reinfection in the UK exactly, the observed growth, case distribution and early analyses in both South Africa and the UK are consistent with some loss of immune protection against infection. These people are spread around the country and are a mix of age ranges between 18 to 85 years the majority had received 2 doses of vaccination. Although hospitalisations and deaths remain low, cases are still high in some areas and some age groups so its important that we continue to act cautiously as restrictions are lifted. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest variant technical briefing. The Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. 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. The latest Omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariant, which scientists have labeled BA.2.12.1, is on track to become the most virulent strain in the United States currently. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. Studies have also shown that Omicron infects and multiplies in the upper airways 70 times faster than the previous Delta variant. As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. 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. We will continue to closely analyse all available biological, epidemiological and genomic evidence for any SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK or internationally. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households. Early data shows that young children who are hospitalised experience mild illness and are discharged after short stays in hospital. Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. Updated Jan. 27, 2023 The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. Things you can choose to do are: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has elevated the classification of the COVID-19 variants Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 to variants of concern (VOCs) on the basis of observed growth. The technical briefing also includes early analysis of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant compared to Delta. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". While BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than previous variants, there is no data yet to suggest that it is any more severe. The risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is greatest when someone who is infected is physically close to, or sharing an enclosed or poorly ventilated space with, other people. When the reduced risk of hospitalisation was combined with vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease, the vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation was estimated as 52% after one dose, 72% 2 to 24 weeks after dose 2, 52% 25+ weeks after dose 2 and 88% 2 weeks after a booster dose. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. There have been recent reports of people who experience symptoms like those of viral meningitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," says Dr. Erica Johnson, MD, the chair of the Infectious Disease Board of the . The highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounts for half of the world's infections. Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: Todays new data shows how important booster jabs are to protect us against this variant. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. 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. What is the stealth omicron, or BA.2, variant? The COVID Omicron sub-variant BA.2, informally dubbed the "Stealth Omicron" variant, is able to reinfect people who have already had Omicron, a new study suggests. Headache. As with any other coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, the vast majority do not confer any advantage to the virus and die out relatively quickly. BA.2, also coined as the "stealth" variant, is a relative of Omicron's original variant, BA.1, which tore through the Australian community over Christmas and the New Year period. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. As of 20 October, there were 15,120 cases of VUI-21OCT-01 confirmed by whole genome sequences in England since it was first detected in July. Booster jabs are protecting people against infection and severe disease so I urge you to play your part in our national mission and get boosted now. Scratchy throat. Typical meningitis symptoms include neck stiffness or pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light. As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. 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 full document and underlying data is available on GOV.UK. As of 24 January 2022, 1,072 genomically confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified in England and all assessments remain preliminary whilst case numbers are relatively low. The v The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 29. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at UKHSA, said: The reclassification of these variants as variants of concern reflects emerging evidence on the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 internationally and in the UK. The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. The percentage of people to have received a booster dose will also already be higher in older age groups and those with underlying health conditions due to prioritisation of the rollout so far. There were very limited numbers of BA.2 in this study and no inferences can be made regarding BA.2. SGTF is a useful indicator of the presence of Omicron, because as a rule Delta cases have the S-gene and Omicron cases do not. How are Covid rules changing across UK schools? It is also absolutely critical that we all do what we can to reduce transmission in the community so that we have time to administer as many booster doses as possible. Experts say BA.2 symptoms don't seem to be all that distinct from original Omicron (BA.1) or the immediately preceding Delta variant. While BA.1 and BA.2 are similar, they are 20 mutations apart. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. It has since swept the globe, eventually vanquishing other variants including delta. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. This analysis is preliminary and highly uncertain because of the small numbers of Omicron cases currently in hospital, inability to effectively measure all previous infections and the limited spread of Omicron into older age groups. 1 case has been identified in Wales. The omicron variant of the coronavirus was first detected in late 2021. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Of those patients admitted to hospital,17had received a booster vaccine, 74 people had 2 doses and 27 people were not vaccinated. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against becoming severely ill from this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. This is to be expected and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. However, it should be noted both that this is early data and more research is required to confirm these findings. The new strain has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 2 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 3 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 on 27 and 28 November. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA, said: Through our genomic surveillance we continue to see evolution of variants in the Omicron family. UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. Data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not included in the UKHSA Technical Briefing. One of the most common symptoms of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 is nausea. Please take up this offer as soon as you are invited to protect yourself, your families and your communities. So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1, but data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate. Added breakdown of cases by local authority to latest update. A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with 2 or more variants at the same time, resulting in a mixing of their genetic material within the patients body. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing containing an updated Omicron risk assessment, alongside analysis on vaccine efficacy, sub-lineages and symptoms. This sub-lineage, which was designated by Pangolin on 6 December 2021, does not have the spike gene deletion at 69-70 that causes S-gene target failure (SGTF), which has previously been used as a proxy to detect cases of Omicron. As we learn to live safely with COVID-19, there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. This is very encouraging. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. This analysis shows you are up to 8 times more likely to end up in hospital as a result of COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated. UKHSA scientists are urging anyone who has not had all the vaccines they are eligible for to make sure that they get them as soon as possible. Omicron BA.2 lacks the genetic deletion on the spike protein which produces S-gene target failure (SGTF) in some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which has been used as a proxy for Omicron cases previously. Face coverings in crowded indoor spaces and hand washing will help to reduce transmission of infection and are especially important if you have any respiratory symptoms. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. UKHSA will continue to monitor the situation closely as a matter of routine, as we do all data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants both in the UK and internationally. There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. However, it remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks. Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. Further studies are underway in the UK and abroad. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. This edition includes an update on the current circulating lineages, including several cases of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 which have been detected in the UK. The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. And even if it does become the dominant version of Omicron, it may not actually alter the trajectory of the pandemic in countries that have seen a big wave of BA.1. Because of a quirk in how it shows up in test results, we can see the numbers of suspected BA.2 doubled in the week up to 24 January. A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape. Twoto4 weeks after a booster dose, vaccine effectiveness ranged from around 65 to 75%, dropping to 55 to 70% at 5 to 9 weeks and 40 to 50% from 10+ weeks after the booster. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron. Anyone who is contacted because of a link to a probable or possible Omicron case will be asked to take a PCR test, even if they have received a positive COVID-19PCRtestwithin the last 90 days. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. Please wear face coverings in line with government guidance, let in fresh air when mixing indoors and wash your hands regularly. UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world. Anewrisk assessment for OmicronVOC-21NOV-01 (B.1.1.529)has also been published and is available here. XBB.1.5 remains at very low prevalence in the UK, so estimates of growth are highly uncertain. Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: Hospitalisations always lag a few weeks behind infections, therefore it isnt surprising that we have started to see people being admitted to hospital with the Omicron variant. 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". In its early days, the variant caused an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases in South Africathey went from 300 a day in mid-November 2021 to 3,000 a day at the end of that month. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. The guidance on vaccination is changing to help all of us bolster our defences in the face of this new variant. But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at UKHSA, said: It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. While on one hand, this statement gives a ray of hope that BA.2 sub variant of Omicron which was thought to be severe is mild as the BA.1 subvariant is, but on the other hand with the report of . Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter', Why half of India's urban women stay at home. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. BA.2 infections in Germany are also growing faster than BA.1 and Delta, according to Dr Meera Chand, Covid-19 director at the UKHSA. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. Xi Jinping is unveiling a new deputy - why it matters, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. Of 5,153 individuals identified with an Omicron infection between 1 November and 11 December 2021, 305 were linked to a previous confirmed infection and had an interval from the previous positive test of 90 days or more. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Our exceptional vaccine rollout means the number of people severely affected by COVID-19 is low, and the UKs innovation and research has discovered life-saving treatments for those most at risk from COVID-19. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. 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. Therefore, although early suggestions are that individuals may be less likely to require hospitalisation, many more people are likely to become infected. One dose of any vaccine was associated with a 35% reduced risk of hospitalisation among symptomatic cases with the Omicron variant, 2 doses with a 67% reduction up to 24 weeks after the seconddose and a 51% reduced risk 25 or more weeks after the seconddose. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. A preliminary assessment by UKHSA did not find a difference in vaccine effectiveness, although it said there was no data yet available on severity. None of the cases to date is known to have been hospitalised or died. 34 Subsequent studies that were performed in periods when a mix of BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 viruses circulated have reported low effectiveness of a second booster against . It is also vital to continue with all the other precautions we have become used to throughout the pandemic keep indoor areas well ventilated, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, and take a rapid lateral flow (or LFD) test before a situation where you may be at high risk of catching or passing on the virus. As of May 2022, BA.2.12.1 was spreading in the US and two new subvariants of Omicron named BA.4 and BA.5, first detected in January 2022, spread in South Africa. Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: We are learning to live with this virus and thanks to our world-leading surveillance system we can rapidly detect and carefully monitor any genetic changes to COVID-19. For example, there are still a small number of cases of other variants, such as Alpha, in the UK which would also result in S-gene dropout or there is a lower amount of virus present in the sample where S-gene dropout cannot be confirmed. A BA2 variant's symptoms are similar to those of Omicron. There are indications of a small rise in children admitted to hospital, but these early signals need further investigations before we can draw any conclusions about whether Omicron causes more severe illness in children. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. As is routine for any new variants under investigation,UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. Our data shows that getting the booster vaccine is more effective against this variant than 2 doses alone. 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 most affected local authorities are West Northamptonshire, where there are 49 confirmed cases and 68 SGTF, and Manchester, where there are 7 confirmed cases and 61 SGTF. More investigation is required to fully determine the extent of these mutations impact. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19, this data should be interpreted with caution, This assessment is based on analysis of UK data, data on Omicron cases is published regularly here, Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: technical briefings, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government, let fresh air in if meeting others indoors, wear a face covering or a face mask, particularly if you are in crowded and enclosed spaces. The odds of reporting long COVID symptoms four to eight weeks after a first COVID-19 infection were 21.8% higher after an infection compatible with Omicron BA.2 than Omicron BA.1 among adults who were triple-vaccinated when infected; this was after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and time since last COVID-19 vaccination. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. 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. The UKHSAs COVID-19 variant technical briefing 43, published today, includes epidemiological analysis that shows that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now make up more than half of new COVID-19 cases in England, accounting for approximately 22% and 39% of cases, respectively. As we cautiously return to Plan A, I encourage you to give yourself and your loved ones the best protection possible and Get Boosted Now. This matches a recent study led by Oxford University and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), using data from the COVID-19 Infection Survey produced by the latter. #India is another country where #SARS_CoV_2 BA.2 is rapidly replacing #Delta & #Omicron BA.1. Our data shows that LFD tests are similarly able to detect COVID-19 in individuals who have been exposed to Omicron as in those exposed to previous variants. We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. This is still a very small number of cases but is being investigated carefully to understand whether it is related to travel, any other variant or whether there is evidence of spread of Omicron beginning in the community. Read about our approach to external linking. Its not too late to catch up if youve missed boosters, or even first doses so please take your recommended vaccines. 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. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm that 10 people have been hospitalised with the Omicron variant in England; the individuals were diagnosed on or before admission. BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared to BA.1 in all regions of England where there are enough cases to assess it. The Omicron variant sub-lineage known as BA.2 has been designated a variant under investigation ( VUI-22JAN-01) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). 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. The best way that you can protect yourself is to come forward for your first 2 doses of vaccine, or your booster jab and do everything you can to stop onward transmission of the infection. Ongoing analysis by UKHSA has found no evidence that infection with Omicron BA.2 results in a greater risk of hospitalisation, compared to Omicron BA.1. It has been designated a "variant under investigation" by British health authorities, meaning they are keeping a close watch on it, but are not overly concerned by it. SUMMARY : The basics of the Omicron sub-variant, the BA.5, which is currently the majority in France: BA.5 is more contagious than BA.2 (January wave), which was itself more contagious than BA.1 and even more than Delta (variant 2021). The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 41. Wear a mask in crowded spaces and, when meeting people indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate the room. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . While there is a suggestion that this wanes slightly after 15 weeks, protection in this age group remains high at over 85%. If you have any symptoms, take a test. XBB (V-22OCT-02) is a recombinant lineage derived from 2 previous Omicron sublineages. Among those who had received 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, effectiveness dropped from around 65 to 70% down to around 10% by 20 weeks after the seconddose. In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. However, a small change may be enough to cause a difference in the virus properties in some circumstances. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. 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. Initial data suggests that LFDs are as likely to detect Omicron as other variants including Delta, which has been the dominant variant in the UK from May to December 2021. It is therefore vital that people continue to exercise caution in order to limit the transmission of the virus. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. UKHSA is monitoring this closely. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. You have rejected additional cookies. However, any stay in hospital for a child is too long if youre a parent and its important we all take precautions to avoid the spread of infection.
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