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Data by variant related to intensive care unit admissions is presented and an analysis into the effect of the recent surge of Omicron cases in care homes is also available in the latest technical briefing. Please wear face coverings in line with government guidance, let in fresh air when mixing indoors and wash your hands regularly. 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. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and is about 40 percent more infectious than the original Omicron variant. BA.2 variant symptoms: Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Francisco Velazquez told KREM 2 News that the BA.2 variant of the omicron variant has some unique symptoms, too. Follow the latest self-isolation rules if you develop symptoms wear a mask where required to do so, take regular LFD tests and observe good hand hygiene. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified two subvariants, BA.1.1 and BA.2. BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. When combined with VE against symptomatic disease, the reduced risk of hospitalisation climbed to 92% 2 to 4 weeks after a third dose of the vaccine, down to 83% after 10 weeks or more. 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. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. Inthe SIREN study, a large cohort of healthcare workers are tested regularly by PCR to detect asymptomatic infection in addition to normal testing practices for symptomatic infection. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. 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. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. However, UKHSA scientists say there is no room to be complacent. Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. Of these, XD and XF are recombinants of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2. It is testament to the diligence and scientific expertise of my colleagues at UKHSA, and the genomic sequencing capacity developed through the pandemic, that this new variant has been identified and analysed so quickly. While evidence is still emerging, so far it does not appear this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Even if a smaller proportion of these individuals require hospitalisation, these are still large numbers of people requiring hospital care and pressures on the NHS will increase. BA.1 accounts for most of the cases. Following the change in JCVI advice earlier this week, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended and will be available at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. We expect the vaccines to show higher protection against the serious complications of COVID-19, so if you havent yet had your first 2 doses please book an appointment straight away. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. 1. The early observations for 2 doses of AstraZeneca are particularly likely to be unreliable as they are based on small numbers and are likely to reflect an older population and a population with more co-morbidities than those given the Pfizer vaccine. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Lower back pain. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. Positive tests with sufficient virus detected from people arriving in the UK are sent for confirmation through Whole Genome Sequencing, regardless of the presence or absence of SGTF. Nine cases have also been identified in Scotland, with 5 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 4 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. 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 infections in Germany are also growing faster than BA.1 and Delta, according to Dr Meera Chand, Covid-19 director at the UKHSA. Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. Well send you a link to a feedback form. 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. But Omicron is an umbrella term for several closely related lineages of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the most common of which is the BA.1 lineage. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. According to Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI), BA.2 infections rose to account for about half of the country's reported Covid cases in January. It is therefore vital that people continue to exercise caution in order to limit the transmission of the virus. The analysis included very small numbers of cases as only a few people in the UK currently have this variant, meaning this data should be interpreted with caution until more cases have been studied. This is to be expected and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely. Of symptomatic cases, loss of smell and taste was found to be more common in people who tested positive for Delta than those who had Omicron. 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. UKHSA is acting to get scientific information available as quickly as possible in order to inform the right balance of interventions to prevent transmission and protect lives. Work from home if you are able to, wear a mask indoors around other people, and ventilate indoor spaces well. The designation was made on the basis that this sub-lineage has become increasingly common in the UK in recent months, and there is some early evidence that it may have an increased growth rate in the UK compared to Delta. A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10. The symptoms of omicron BA.2.75 are mostly flu-like and may last more than 4-5 days. ROCHESTER, Minn. The World Health Organization designated COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, named omicron, a "variant of concern" on Nov. 26, 2021, and the first confirmed case in the U.S. was on Dec. 1, 2021. A second BTN162b2 booster was previously found to be 52% and 72% effective in preventing Omicron BA.1 infection and hospitalization, respectively, in adults 60 years. New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. This is very encouraging. UKHSAreleases weekly updates on the number of confirmed new cases of variants of concern and variants under investigation identified in the UK. [92] Reactions [ edit] Vaccine producers [ edit] 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. The data suggests this risk is significantly reduced following a booster vaccine, so I urge everyone to take up their booster when eligible. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. Where individualsare suspected or confirmed to have theOmicron variantas the result of testing, their close contacts will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, required to self-isolate and asked to take aPCRtest,regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. "It's important to know and recognize all of the. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. Thanks to very high levels of vaccine coverage we already have a robust wall of defence against COVID-19 as new variants emerge. You will not always know whether someone you come into contact with is at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19. There can be several reasons for growth advantage, but in the case of BA.4 and BA.5, laboratory data suggests a degree of immune escape which is likely to contribute. 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". Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. However, confidence levels for severity indicators for children are low because further analysis is required to compare the risk of hospitalisation between Omicron and Delta, and to assess the clinical nature of illness in children. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Anewrisk assessment for OmicronVOC-21NOV-01 (B.1.1.529)has also been published and is available here. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Earlier COVID-19 variants affected the lung tissue more and had a higher likelihood of causing pneumonia and other severe outcomes. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. We continue to monitor all recombinants closely, routinely through our world-leading genomic surveillance and sequencing capability. Analyses of sequenced SGTF samples has indicated that until mid-November, more than 99% of these were Delta cases. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. The BA.2 subvariant of the COVID-19 virus is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the world, and while health officials are saying the subvariant acts like the original omicron version of the . The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) COVID-19 variant technical briefing, published today, includes updated epidemiological analysis which indicates that Omicron BA.5 has, as expected, become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK. Please make sure you follow all the available guidance. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases. The latest version raising alarms is an emerging subvariant of Omicron called BA.2. But the latest data suggests this extra protection starts to wane more rapidly, being about 15 to 25% lower from 10 weeks after the booster dose. "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 . There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. UKHSAs new analysis examines 3 recombinants, known as XF, XE, and XD. Neutralisation studies are currently being undertaken at the University of Oxford. Delta and Omicron Cases are being eclipsed by BA2 Variant rapidly. There will be no other categorisation of variants, including no variant under investigation (VUI) category. What we know is that it is certainly growing as a proportion of overall cases in the UK. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. 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. It is never too late to come forward for your first dose and its vital that everyone comes forward to get boosted now as we head into the new year. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: Viruses mutate often and at random, and it is not unexpected that new variants will continue to arise as the pandemic goes on, particularly while the case rate remains high. Increased case detection through focused contact tracing has led to more cases of the Omicron variant being identified and confirmed, as we have seen in other countries globally. The earliest of these has a specimen date of 19 January 2022. While BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than previous variants, there is no data yet to suggest that it is any more severe. 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. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. 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. 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. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. 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. 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. Scratchy throat. 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. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. A preliminary assessment by UKHSA did not find a difference in vaccine effectiveness, although it said there was no data yet available on severity. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. These include a high temperature, a new. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case. A major ailment is not to be expected for the age group 20-50 years. Our advanced sequencing capabilities enable us to find variants and take rapid action to limit onward spread. Currently, approximately half of all tests conducted in the UK are able to detect SGTF. So how worried should we be about this emerging variant? 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. Fatigue. We are particularly grateful to health protection specialists and the government of South Africa for early sharing of local information on the omicron variant in an exemplary way to support global health security. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. While growth rates can be overestimated in early analyses of a new variant, the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). Runny nose (especially in combination with loss of smell) A runny nose is a universal sign of cold, flu and now COVID-19. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding people to ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date and to continue following COVID-safe behaviours, as latest technical data indicates BA.4 and BA.5 have become dominant in the UK and are driving the recent increase in infections. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. Everybody who is contacted or has symptoms should take a PCR test as soon as possible, even if they have received a positive COVID-19 PCR test within the last 90 days. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 22. UKHSA is monitoring this closely. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. So, like the original omicron strain (BA.1), the primary symptoms of a mild BA.2 infection are a cough, fever, fatigue and possible loss of taste or smell. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI). BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. The most common omicron-related symptoms are: Cough. The omicron variant of the coronavirus was first detected in late 2021. Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA. These are some of the symptoms that you should be looking out for: High temperature. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. 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. All 3 subvariants have spike protein mutations of L452 and elude immunity from prior BA1 infection. Typical meningitis symptoms include neck stiffness or pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. It remains vital that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. UKHSA Chief Executive, Jenny Harries said: I want to thank everyone who has been working globally and locally to help us act incredibly quickly in response to the Omicron variant. Those aged 18 to 39 should wait to be called. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. 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. 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. As previously published, data continues to show vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation for Omicron remains high. Aside from all of the usual COVID symptoms, like a dry cough, a scratchy throat, fatigue, and muscle aches, the Stealth variant is thought to cause a few other distinct issues. 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. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. The updated risk assessment includes indicators for infection severity in both adults and children. 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. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. Of those with Omicron, 9.5% have had COVID-19 before, which is likely to be a substantial underestimate of the proportion of reinfections, as many prior infections will have been asymptomatic and not picked up by the analysis. But it is worth noting that Denmark has seen similar trends in terms of hospital admissions and intensive care as the UK has, suggesting BA.2 does not mark a sea-change in severity. However, it should be noted both that this is early data and more research is required to confirm these findings. This paper can be found as a pre-print, and the data is referred to in the latest vaccine surveillance report. Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive, said: Our latest analysis shows an encouraging early signal that people who contract the Omicron variant may be at a relatively lower risk of hospitalisation than those who contract other variants. Omicron BA.2.75, the variant derived from the BA.2 lineage which was identified internationally earlier this month, has now been categorised as a separate variant and given the. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? The guidance on vaccination is changing to help all of us bolster our defences in the face of this new variant. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. The population rate of people becoming infected with Omicron after having previously contracted COVID-19 has increased sharply. 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. Overall numbers of ICU admissions have decreased over time, but where data was available admissions with Omicron have increased from 9% to more than 50% in the most recent week. 2 or Stealth Omicron causes. If you develop any symptoms, isolate immediately and get a PCR test. "Looking at other countries where BA.2 is now overtaking, we're not seeing any higher bumps in hospitalisation than expected," the WHO's Dr Boris Pavlin says. UKHSA, in partnership with scientific bodies across the globe, is constantly monitoring the status of SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge and develop worldwide. BA.2 is estimated to account for approximately 93.7% of cases in England, with the highest prevalence in the South East (96.4%) and the lowest in the East Midlands (91.1%). If you have any symptoms, take a test. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, said: This latest set of analysis once again demonstrates that a booster dose of the vaccine provides you with significant protection against hospitalisation from Omicron. Until we have this evidence, we must exercise the highest level of caution in drawing conclusions about any significant risks to peoples health. UKHSAs latest analysis suggests that Omicron BA.5 is growing 35.1% faster than Omicron BA.2, while Omicron BA.4 is growing approximately 19.1% faster. As always, the booster vaccine remains the best protection against infection. 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. 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 . As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant. Our data also show that 17.5 per cent of people aged 75 years and over have not had a vaccine within the past six months, putting them more at risk of severe disease. Our findings suggest the current wave of Omicron infections is unlikely to lead to a major surge in severe disease in care home populations with high levels of vaccine coverage and/or natural immunity. 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.

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