{"id":65999,"date":"2022-09-30T12:10:03","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T18:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=65999"},"modified":"2022-10-05T14:15:27","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T20:15:27","slug":"newest-covid-19-subvariants-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/newest-covid-19-subvariants-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"New COVID-19 subvariants are on the horizon. What you need to know."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"man
Infectious disease experts are closely watching the newest COVID-19 subvariants including BA.2.75, BA.2.72.2, BA.4.6 and BF.7. These are all subvariants related to omicron, the COVID-19 variant that sprang on the scene early in 2022 and has been spreading widely ever since. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Infectious disease experts around the world are keeping a close eye on the newest COVID-19 subvariants with strange names like BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6 and BF.7.
\n

\n

Do you need a COVID-19 vaccine or booster dose?<\/h2>\n

Learn more about getting your vaccine or booster dose.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Should you be concerned about these descendants of the original virus that sparked the pandemic?<\/p>\n

To help you learn more, we consulted with UCHealth infectious disease expert, Dr. Michelle Barron<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Like a weather forecaster, Barron has been studying the newest subvariants. She\u2019s keeping them on her radar but doesn\u2019t want people to worry yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing them in the U.S., but still in very low numbers,\u201d said Barron, who is UCHealth\u2019s senior medical director of infection prevention and control and one of the top infectious disease experts in Colorado<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re like tropical storms. They\u2019re way out in the ocean right now. We\u2019re aware of what they have the potential to do, but they may never gain enough strength to hit land or even become a named storm,\u201d said Barron, who is also a professor<\/a> at the University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a> on the Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What are the newest COVID-19 subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The current crop of subvariants includes BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6 and BF.7.<\/p>\n

What is the origin of these subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

All of the newest subvariants are descendants of the omicron variant. Omicron is the highly transmissible variant that sprang on the scene early in 2022 and has been spreading widely ever since. The most recent omicron variants that most people have heard of include BA.4 and BA.5.<\/p>\n

Which COVID-19 variants and subvariants are causing infections now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Globally, through mid-September (the most recent period for which data are available), the omicron BA.5 variant was still causing the majority of infections, accounting for about 80% of cases around the world, Barron said.<\/p>\n

Where are experts seeing infections from the newest subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

BA.2.75 and BA.2.75.2 first emerged in India and are now spreading in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

What percentage of U.S. COVID-19 cases are now linked to the newest subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So far, the newest subvariants are causing about 2-to-5% of cases in the U.S., Barron said.<\/p>\n

Will the new COVID-19 booster shot protect me against the newest subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Experts don\u2019t know exactly how protective the new booster shot (and previous vaccines) will be.<\/p>\n

But they are strongly advising people to get their primary vaccines and a booster shot as soon as they\u2019re eligible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe booster gives you an extra layer of protection against whatever is coming next. Will it be 100% effective? Probably not. But, it\u2019s definitely more than zero,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

Regardless of exactly how protective the new booster shot proves to be against the newest subvariants, vaccines and booster doses have helped reduce the severity of illness and have prevented deaths from COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Remind me again. Which variants and subvariants do the newest booster dose protect against? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Vaccine makers created a booster dose with a new recipe. It became available in the U.S. starting in early September. This new booster dose specifically fights omicron variants including BA. 4 and BA.5.<\/p>\n

“The newest subvariants are related to BA.4 and BA.5, but we still don\u2019t know how well this vaccine works against them,” Barron said.<\/p>\n

Early studies to measure the booster efficacy on new subvariants are not definitive, Barron said.<\/p>\n

One researcher found that the BA.2.75.2 subvariant may be able to evade vaccines and COVID-19 treatments.<\/p>\n

But a different study found that vaccines worked well against the subvariant.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s too early to know for sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet how well the newest boosters will hold up against new omicron subvariants,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

Since the newest subvariants are only causing a small percentage of infections in the U.S. now, do we need to worry about them?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That\u2019s a tricky question to answer, Barron said.<\/p>\n

Some past variants and subvariants seemed like they might cause problems, then didn\u2019t prove to be threatening. On the other hand, new versions of the virus have the potential to suddenly take over. That\u2019s what happened when the delta variant came on the scene late in 2021. Researchers in South Africa first discovered the delta variant and it very quickly exploded around the world. That could happen with these new subvariants. Or, they could fizzle out, Barron said.<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t it normal for viruses to change and evolve?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes, said Barron.<\/p>\n

Viruses evolve so they can continue to stay alive and spread. The best way to do that is to change over time. That\u2019s how variants and subvariants develop.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sick of worrying about COVID-19. How big a deal are these new subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Barron gets it that people are tired of worrying about viruses. It\u2019s her job to watch for potential threats. While it\u2019s vital to be aware of potential storms on the horizon, she\u2019s urging people not to be too concerned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all have this trauma from the beginning of the pandemic, and we were at DEFCON 10. We don\u2019t have to go back there again, but we\u2019re not at zero either. We just need to pay attention,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a nuisance to think about the newest subvariants, but just as we all watch the weather, we should be aware of what\u2019s out there, so we can be prepared,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

What potential scenario most worries you?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There have been some early reports that the BF.7 subvariant could be both highly infectious and could make people really sick.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has some novel sequences that make it more transmissible. The other concern is the potential for more severity. If it\u2019s like the love child between delta and omicron (variants), that would be bad. But all of our information is still very premature,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best way to protect myself from the newest COVID-19 subvariants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The best way to protect yourself is the same as it has been throughout the pandemic. If you are immunocompromised or you live with or spend time with someone who is, be careful about spending time in crowded, indoor settings, Barron said.<\/p>\n

The same measures that have helped drive down infections throughout the pandemic still work. They include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Wearing a mask in crowded settings.<\/li>\n
  • Washing your hands frequently.<\/li>\n
  • Staying home when you are sick.<\/li>\n
  • Testing yourself for COVID-19 if you\u2019re going to be spending time with a group of people or a vulnerable person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Masks are highly effective and are still required in health care settings.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s not like we\u2019re trying to put you back into March of 2020, but there\u2019s still tremendous value (for some people),\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cEvery day, I put on my seat belt because it\u2019s the law. Do I necessarily like it? No. Does it keep me safer if I get in an accident? Of course.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe have tools to make things safer,\u201d Barron said. \u201cPeople who come into hospitals generally need to be here. Whether they have to have cancer treatments or have diabetes and need medications, it\u2019s our job as health care providers to protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Infectious disease experts around the world are keeping a close eye on the newest COVID-19 subvariants with strange names like BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6 and BF.7. Should you be concerned about these descendants of the original virus that sparked the pandemic? To help you learn more, we consulted with UCHealth infectious disease expert, Dr. Michelle Barron. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":65953,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[4860],"class_list":["post-65999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-covid-19"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNewest COVID subvariants: What you need to know. - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Infectious disease experts around the world are keeping a close eye on new COVID-19 subvariants. 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What you need to know."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","name":"UCHealth Today","description":"UCHealth Today","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization","name":"UCHealth","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"caption":"UCHealth"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/x.com\/uchealth","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uchealth\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/14839\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC41SJI79yjZIe96OajzN22g"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/d43cd81d6f8e440a3e496f8a012c68e9","name":"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, UCHealth","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e4b3e7f171d65a6d6ea64ec84c6b217b969af09b9439c593a692bbcccd793724?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e4b3e7f171d65a6d6ea64ec84c6b217b969af09b9439c593a692bbcccd793724?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e4b3e7f171d65a6d6ea64ec84c6b217b969af09b9439c593a692bbcccd793724?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, UCHealth"},"description":"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon is a proud Coloradan. She attended Colorado College thanks to a merit scholarship from the Boettcher Foundation and worked as a park ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park during summers in college. Katie is a dedicated storyteller who loves getting to know UCHealth patients and providers and sharing their inspiring stories. Katie spent years working as an award-winning journalist at the Rocky Mountain News and at an online health policy news site before joining UCHealth in 2017. 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