{"id":71564,"date":"2023-08-31T12:47:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T18:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=71564"},"modified":"2024-07-29T17:48:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T23:48:45","slug":"new-covid-variant-should-you-be-worried-about-ba-2-86","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/new-covid-variant-should-you-be-worried-about-ba-2-86\/","title":{"rendered":"A new COVID variant, BA.2.86, has emerged around the world as cases of COVID-19 climb. Should you be worried about BA.2.86?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Medical
Medical experts are keeping a close eye on the new COVID variant, BA.2.86. It may prove to be super-contagious since the variant has many changes to the spike protein. That’s how the virus gets in people’s bodies and makes them sick. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A new COVID variant called BA.2.86 is triggering concern as COVID-19 cases rise this fall in Colorado<\/a> and around the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n

There have been hundreds of variants since the original SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused COVID-19 made its debut in late 2019 and sparked a deadly global pandemic.<\/p>\n

Most variants fizzle. But medical experts are keeping a close eye on BA.2.86 in case it has staying power or proves to be especially wily at beating people\u2019s defenses and making them sick.<\/p>\n

How concerned should you be about BA.2.86, and what is the origin of this new variant?<\/p>\n

To sort out what\u2019s happening with COVID-19 variants and infections this fall, we checked in with Dr. Michelle Barron,\u00a0senior medical director<\/a> of infection prevention and control for UCHealth\u00a0and a\u00a0professor of medicine and infectious diseases\u00a0at the\u00a0University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Barron is one of the top infectious disease experts<\/a> in the Rocky Mountain region.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Michelle Barron is one of the top infectious disease experts in the Rocky Mountain region. She’s keeping a close eye on the new COVID variant, BA.2.86. Photo by Sonya Doctorian, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There have been many variants of the original virus, SARS-CoV-2, that cause people to get sick with COVID-19. Why are infectious disease experts, like you, keeping an eye on BA.2.86?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the changes in the spike protein,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

The BA.2.86 variant boasts more than 30 mutations or changes to the spike protein. That\u2019s the mechanism the virus uses to send attackers into cells in our bodies. If a variant like BA.2.86 looks really different, it can evade detection by our immune systems, sneakily make copies of itself, and then launch an attack, which makes us sick.<\/p>\n

New variants typically are slightly different than their predecessors. In this case, BA.2.86 has multiple genetic differences from its parents, grandparents and cousins, all of which are descended from the original omicron variant.<\/p>\n

These genetic differences could be significant if they make it easier for the virus to re-infect people who have already had COVID-19 or cause infections in people who have been vaccinated.<\/p>\n

Is BA.2.86 more infectious than other variants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not clear yet<\/a> whether BA.2.86 is more infectious than other COVID-19 variants. Time will tell what happens with BA.2.86.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no evidence yet to suggest that this variant is more infectious or causes worse symptoms,\u201d Barron said. \u201cIt\u2019s like all the variants of interest and concern. We need to keep an eye on it. But we don\u2019t know how it will impact us yet, if at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where did BA.2.86 come from? Why are we hearing about it now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Researchers around the world detected BA.2.86 in recent weeks. A handful of confirmed cases popped up in Denmark, South Africa, Israel, the U.S. and the United Kingdom, according to experts<\/a> at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n

Based on wastewater monitoring, CDC experts estimate that BA.2.86 is causing about 1% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. now.<\/p>\n

Even so, Barron said once a new variant is detected, it\u2019s often spreading more widely than it first appears due to delays in reporting and lack of uniform testing across the U.S.<\/p>\n

What is BA.2.86?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

BA.2.86 is a descendant of the original omicron variant, which first sprang on the global scene and started causing millions of infections back in late 2021 and early 2022.<\/p>\n

BA.2.86 is not different enough from the original omicron variant to earn its own new name from the Greek alphabet. But it looks different enough to demand attention from infectious disease experts<\/p>\n

Barron compares this new variant to a sibling who looks really different.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at family photos, there\u2019s always one person you\u2019re related to that looks pretty different. And you wonder, \u2018Where did you come from?\u2019\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

The BA.2.86 variant is similar to that. It\u2019s definitely part of the omicron family. But it looks pretty unique,\u201d she said. \u201cIt may be different enough to where the immune system doesn\u2019t recognize it as the virus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Time will tell if this particular variant is super-contagious or if other variants out-compete this one.<\/p>\n

Is BA.2.86 causing more severe illness and triggering more hospitalizations?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No. Not yet. According to a recent CDC update<\/a>, the current COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. are driven primarily by the other dominant variants, which are known as XBB (another omicron descendant), not BA.2.86.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard some people call BA.2.86 pirola. Is that a real name for this variant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No. Pirola is not a real name for the variant. The CDC and World Health Organization have systems for naming variants. Pirola is not a sanctioned name. A person proposed the name on social media, but experts definitely are not using pirola as a name for the BA.2.86 COVID-19 variant.<\/p>\n

Is there a chance that BA.2.86 will fizzle and won\u2019t out-compete the other current XBB variants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes. Absolutely.<\/p>\n

Barron said it\u2019s typical for variants to appear strong, then sometimes disappear.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite a few variants never made it to prime time,\u201d she said. \u201cMany never had their moment in the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all heard of the true villains in the world of variants. The delta and omicron variants wreaked havoc on the world.<\/p>\n

But many others appeared to be worrisome at first, then disappeared.<\/p>\n

What about the new COVID-19 vaccines that are coming out this fall? Will they protect me from BA.2.86?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The new COVID-19 vaccine that is expected to be released in mid-to-late September was formulated before BA.2.86 arrived on the scene. So, it won\u2019t specifically fight this new variant. But the vaccine was created to fight omicron descendants, so it likely will provide some good protection, especially to prevent severe illness or hospitalization, Barron said.<\/p>\n

She strongly encourages people to get their vaccines for COVID-19, flu and RSV (if they qualify) this fall. Learn more about the new COVID-19 vaccine along with flu and RSV.<\/p>\n

With all annual vaccines, like the new shots for flu and COVID-19, vaccine makers have to guess in advance which strains of each virus will be spreading months later.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a horse race,\u201d Barron said, comparing virus variants to horses gathered at the starting gates.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the horses are lined up and ready to go. There are odds on which horse will finish first. The horses that are ranked at the top might end up placing. But every once in a while, a horse with really long odds ends up placing or winning the race,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

That ends up happening in the world of infectious diseases, too. Sometimes, a longshot variant will come out of nowhere and will dominate all of the others.<\/p>\n

Medical experts won\u2019t know until later this fall and winter which flu and COVID-19 variants will dominate. They also don\u2019t know yet how virulent new variants will be and if we\u2019ll have a tough fall and winter for COVID-19, flu and RSV as we have in past years.<\/p>\n

The good news is that nearly four years into the pandemic, researchers and infectious disease experts have a great deal of practice and are carefully monitoring what is happening in the world of infectious viruses.<\/p>\n

Is it possible that vaccine makers might create a new version of the vaccine if BA.2.86 takes over and turns out to be highly contagious?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Barron said that it is possible but unlikely that the new fall COVID-19 vaccine will change.<\/p>\n

CDC officials noted in an update on Aug. 30 that the new COVID-19 vaccine will be available in mid-to-late September. They say it\u2019s a good match for the XBB variants, which remain dominant now.<\/p>\n

There is a precedent for reformulating vaccines to contend with a new variant. Back when the H1N1 flu came on the scene in 2009, vaccine makers rushed to create a vaccine that would more effectively combat H1N1.<\/p>\n

The new mRNA technology that Pfizer and Moderna used to create COVID-19 vaccines allows for faster production. But changing the formula now likely would be expensive.<\/p>\n

Federal officials with the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are closely monitoring variants as they also make decisions about vaccines.<\/p>\n

Here in Colorado, Barron is also keeping a close eye on BA.2.86, along with all the other variants. She\u2019s ready to fight back if any of them prove to be fierce opponents.<\/p>\n

\u201cI pay attention to all of them,\u201d Barron said. \u201cWe have our playbook. It\u2019s like a playbook for a football game. Once you know your competitors, you can adjust faster. You know what their basic moves will be, even if you\u2019ve never played them before.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your overall advice to people?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cGet your vaccine. Think of it as your yearly shot,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

What if I got a COVID-19 booster shot recently with the previous formulation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t worry if you got a COVID-19 booster before the new vaccine came out. But plan to get the new COVID-19 shot when you can. You\u2019ll want to wait about three months or 90 days after your last vaccine dose before you get the new one.<\/p>\n

Does it still make sense to test and isolate if you think you have COVID-19?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes. It\u2019s very wise to test yourself. If you get a negative result from a home test, it might not be 100% accurate. But it can still be helpful. Check with your health insurance provider to see if they are still giving out free at-home COVID-19 tests.<\/p>\n

Even if you don\u2019t test positive for COVID-19, but you have the common symptoms, it\u2019s wise and thoughtful to stay home so you don\u2019t share the illness with others. Most people probably won\u2019t have severe symptoms, but immunocompromised people and others who are vulnerable people still can become critically ill with COVID-19. Some will need to be hospitalized. And COVID-19 continues to cause deaths in the U.S. and around the world.<\/p>\n

Will my COVID-19 vaccine be covered by insurance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most insurance plans should cover a COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

The federal health insurance programs, Medicare and Medicaid, cover COVID-19 vaccines. Private health insurance plans typically follow in the footsteps of government insurance programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new COVID variant called BA.2.86 is triggering concern as COVID-19 cases rise this fall in Colorado and around the U.S. There have been hundreds of variants since the original SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused COVID-19 made its debut in late 2019 and sparked a deadly global pandemic. Most variants fizzle. But medical experts are keeping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":71570,"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":[8],"tags":[4860,9069,162],"class_list":["post-71564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-covid-19","tag-covid-19-vaccine","tag-infectious-diseases"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew COVID variant: Should you be worried about BA.2.86? - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How concerned should you be about BA.2.86, and what is the origin of this new COVID variant? 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