Continue to exercise caution. How are Covid rules changing across UK schools? We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. An individual with Omicron is estimated to be between 31 and 45% less likely to attend A&E compared to Delta, and 50 to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital. There are differences in the populations that have received different vaccines. B.1.1.529 has a large number of mutations in the gene coding for the spike protein, and also in other parts of the viral genome. These changes will take effect as of 1 April 2022 and will be reflected in full in future technical briefings. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. 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. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that if Omicron continues to grow at the present rate, the variantwill become the dominant strain, accounting for more than 50% of all COVID-19 infections in the UK by mid-December. AstraZeneca was the main vaccine used early in the programme in care homes and among those in clinical risk groups. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, and a high temperature or feel unwell, try to stay at home or away from others especially those who are elderly or vulnerable. However, with the spread of BA.4 and BA.5, that symptom seems to have returned, some doctors note. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. UKHSA is gathering scientific information as quickly as possible in order to inform the right balance of interventions to prevent transmission and protect lives. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a new variant technical briefing detailing updated analysis of epidemiological and genomic data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the UK, including the XBB.1.5 variant which has been increasing in the US in recent months. ; An increase in new cases is being . Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 99% of viral DNA submitted to the global GISAID database as of 25 January were identified as this sub-variant. We constantly assess the genetic diversity within the known variants of concern (VOCs) to inform our ongoing public health response to the pandemic. As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. As the coronavirus continues to evolve, a new highly contagious Omicron variant is appearing in India and other nations, including the United States, experts say.. 2023 BBC. This analysis is not an assessment of hospital severity, which will take further time to assess. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. Taste Lost is one of the Omicron BA2 Symptoms. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. They could be strangers (for example people you sit next to on public transport) or people you may have regular contact with (for example friends and work colleagues). Well be undertaking further analysis to investigate the small rise in the number of children admitted to hospital but currently coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a very low health risk to children and infants. UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Susan Hopkins said: It is increasingly evident that Omicron is highly infectious and there is emerging laboratory and early clinical evidence to suggest that both vaccine-acquired and naturally acquired immunity against infection is reduced for this variant. UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 24. ; The incubation time (time to onset of symptoms) is a bit shorter: 3 days. Night sweats Scratchy throat Dry cough Mild muscle aches In data published by the UKHSA on January 14, they found that NHS test and trace data revealed a loss of smell or taste was reported less. A booster dose was associated with a 74% reduced risk of hospitalisation in the first 2 to 4 weeks after vaccination, with the figure dropping to 66% 10 weeks or more after this dose. UKHSA are continuing to monitor data on the BA.2 sub-lineage closely. It is not unexpected to see new lineages and continued investigation is a normal part of the surveillance of an infectious disease. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. There are thought to be subtle differences in the symptoms that BA. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. Anewrisk assessment for OmicronVOC-21NOV-01 (B.1.1.529)has also been published and is available here. 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. 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. If you have any symptoms, take a test. 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. 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. 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. BA.2 attacking abdomen instead of lungs. We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. Its not too late to catch up if youve missed boosters, or even first doses so please take your recommended vaccines. We will continue to closely analyse all available biological, epidemiological and genomic evidence for any SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK or internationally. 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. Dr Meera Chand, COVID-19 Incident Director at UKHSA, said: It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so its to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge as the pandemic goes on. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. Based on the reports from doctors treating the Covid variant and patients battling. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. These early findings should be interpreted with caution as transmission data and dynamics can fluctuate, meaning that early findings can change quickly when new variants are identified. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor, UKHSA said: Recombinant variants are not an unusual occurrence, particularly when there are several variants in circulation, and several have been identified over the course of the pandemic to date. With the original version of the omicron variant, which swept across the U.S. at a dizzying speed last winter, the loss of taste and smell was not as common as with the earlier alpha and delta variants. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. Analysis shows that protection against symptomatic disease 2 to 4 weeks after a booster dose ranges from around 65% to 75%, dropping to 55% to 65% at 5 to 9 weeks and 45% to 50% 10 weeks or more following the booster dose. 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. Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant. Its 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. What we know is that it is certainly growing as a proportion of overall cases in the UK. Nine cases have also been identified in Scotland, with 5 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 4 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. That contrasts to Denmark, where it has become dominant. Runny nose. There is insufficient data to make any assessment of protection against severe disease, or to assess the severity of illness caused by Omicron. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. There is now high confidence that the Omicron variant causes low severity of disease in adults. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant so please get your first, second, third or booster jab as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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. Wear a mask in crowded spaces and, when meeting people indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate the room. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. The full document and underlying data is available on GOV.UK. Fourteen people are reported to have died within 28 days of an Omicron diagnosis, ranging in age from 52 to 96 years old. 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. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. 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. 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. Analyses of sequenced SGTF samples has indicated that until mid-November, more than 99% of these were Delta cases. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. However, UKHSA scientists say there is no room to be complacent. As of January 10 2022, 53 sequences of the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron had been identified in the United Kingdom. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. While there is a suggestion that this wanes slightly after 15 weeks, protection in this age group remains high at over 85%. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. As part of UKHSAs routine genomic surveillance, approximately 15 to 20% of all positive PCR tests are also sent for sequencing. 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. The sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in 57 countries now, the WHO says. It is therefore vital that people continue to exercise caution in order to limit the transmission of the virus. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs [lateral flow devices] and take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test if symptoms develop.". The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, or the "stealth" variant, has been outcompeting the previously dominant BA.1 subvariant in several countries. We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster.
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