Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Stealth' Omicron Spreading Across US, But Vaccines Can Fight It, Data Show
CNBC: The Latest Covid Variant Is 1.5 Times More Contagious Than Omicron And Already Circulating In Almost Half Of U.S. States
There are already dozens of cases across almost half of the U.S. of a new Covid subvariant that’s even more contagious than the already highly transmissible omicron variant. Nearly half of U.S. states have confirmed the presence of BA.2 with at least 127 known cases nationwide as of Friday, according to a global data base that tracks Covid variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement Friday, said although BA.2 has increased in proportion to the original omicron strain in some countries, it is currently circulating at a low level in the U.S. (Kimball, 1/28)
Fox News: 'Stealth' Omicron Variant BA.2 Circulating In Almost Half Of US, But CDC Exercises Caution: Report
Is BA.2 going to be omicron 2.0? There are now at least 127 known cases of the subvariant BA.2, otherwise known as the "stealth" variant, circulating in almost half of the United States that international experts suggest is more contagious as omicron, according to a recent CNBC report. But Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokesperson, in a Monday statement to The Washington Post, cautions, "Currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether the BA.2 lineage is more transmissible or has a fitness advantage over the BA.1 lineage[omicron]." (Sudhakar, 1/29)
The New York Times: The ‘Stealth’ Omicron Variant Is No Cause For Alarm, But It Could Slow Down The Decline In Cases
In recent days, headlines about a “stealth” Omicron variant have conjured the notion that a villainous new form of the coronavirus is secretly creating a disastrous new wave of Covid. That scenario is highly unlikely, scientists say. But the new variant, which goes by the scientific name BA.2 and is one of three branches of the Omicron viral family, could drag out the Omicron surge in much of the world. (Zimmer, 1/31)
Stat: Early Data Indicate Vaccines Still Protect Against Omicron’s Sister Variant
New data show that vaccines still protect against a spinoff of the Omicron variant, a welcome sign as the world keeps a close eye on the latest coronavirus iteration. BA.2, as the sublineage is known, is part of the broader Omicron umbrella. Scientists are paying more attention to it as it begins to eat into the dominance of the more common Omicron strain, which is technically called BA.1. (Joseph, 1/28)
In related news about omicron —
CIDRAP: Studies Show Omicron Variant Less Severe But Causes More Reinfections
Two studies published yesterday in Eurosurveillance show the Omicron variant leads to fewer hospitalizations than the Delta variant, but an increased risk of infection in vaccinated and previously infected people. (1/28)
NPR: Omicron Symptoms Can Be Milder. Here's Why Patients Are Still Flooding Hospitals
Omicron has filled up U.S. hospitals with more COVID-19 patients than any other surge of the pandemic. But there's been a shift in how the illness behaves since the days of delta, with many cases, even hospitalized ones, milder and quicker to treat. As with earlier variants, COVID-19 can still be a dangerous, unforgiving disease for patients who are vulnerable either because of underlying medical problems or because they're not vaccinated. But it's also increasingly clear that omicron is less likely to inflict the same level of damage as the delta variant. (Stone, 1/29)
The New York Times: When Omicron Isn’t So Mild
Regina Perez, 57, had never been hospitalized for her lifelong asthma condition until she came down with Covid this month. She started having difficulty breathing, even after taking her usual medications. “It kind of took over, almost,” she said. She wound up at St. Luke’s Hospital in Allentown, Pa., for most of a week at a time when nearly all the Covid patients sampled had contracted the Omicron variant. (Abelson and Jewett, 1/29)
Also —
Bloomberg: Covid-Infected HIV Patient Developed Mutations, Study Shows
A South African woman suffering from inadequately treated HIV, and who harbored Covid-19 for nine months saw the respiratory virus develop at least 21 mutations while in her body, according to a study. Once the 22-year-old adhered to the anti-retroviral medication used to treat HIV and her immune system strengthened she was able to overcome the Covid-19 infection within six to nine weeks, the study, led by scientists from Stellenbosch and the University the University of KwaZulu-Natal showed. The research has not been peer reviewed. (Sguazzin, 1/30)
