A new sub-variant of Omicron is making headlines around the world. Health agencies and virologists believe it may become the most prevalent variant following the pandemic.
The BA.2.75 is already becoming the dominant variant in India, having first been revealed there in May. The subvariant has been reported in dozens of countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. Because it is surpassing the previous strain prevalent in India - BA.5 - virologists think it is likely to be more transmissible.
Why "Centaurus"?
BA.2.75 has been named "Centaurus", although it has not yet received an official Greek letter from the World Health Organization. WHO insists it is a sub-variant of Omicron.
The name Centaurus appears to have come from a tweet by user @xabitron1, who wrote on July 1: “I just named variant BA.2.75 after a galaxy. His new name is Centaurus. Get used to it. Today, I command everything pandemic.”
I have just named BA.2.75 variant after a galaxy.
— Xabier Ostale (@xabitron1) July 1, 2022
Its new name is Centaurus strain.
Get used to it. Today, I'm in command of anything pandemic. pic.twitter.com/JNkxlRI9Hv
Why is it different?
BA.2.75, like BA.5, is a subvariant of Omicron, the transmissible form of the coronavirus that quickly became dominant worldwide this year. However, while it is possible that BA.2.75 will become the dominant variant worldwide, it is not necessarily something to worry too much about. According to reports, the severity of the symptoms of hospitalized people is decreasing.
Risk of reinfections
"The chances of the virus spreading are more likely than they were, say, a year ago or two years ago," said Dr. Eleanor Gaunt, a virologist at the University of Edinburgh. "Before, for example it was mandatory to wear a mask and more restrictions in many countries [...] Again it is not necessarily something to be alarmed about. If there are reinfections, they are likely to be clinically less severe."
A do të përfundojë zhduket ndonjëherë Covid?
Gaunt thotë se duket se ka të ngjarë që Covid të arrijë në një model të ngjashëm me atë të ftohjes së zakonshme, ku arrin "një lloj ekuilibri me njerëzit". “Pra, ne infektohemi, marrim një infeksion të lehtë dhe marrim infeksione të përsëritura gjatë gjithë jetës. Ky është parashikimi afatgjatë për SARS-CoV-2”.
Ekspertë të tjerë pajtohen se vaksinat dhe dozat përforcuese janë ende mbrojtja më e mirë kundër simptomave të rënda, edhe nëse nuk mund të garantojnë se nuk do të ndodhin riinfeksione.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, drejtuesja teknike e OBSH-së për Covid-19, shtoi se BA.5 është "varianti më i transmetueshëm që kemi parë" dhe paralajmëroi se varianti tjetër do të ishte "edhe më i transmetueshëm se i fundit".
Source: Euronews, Financial Times
