Explained | New COVID variant BA.2.86: How concerned should we be?
BA.2.86 is causing concern because of the many mutations that have been detected, but scientists say it may not behave differently from other Omicron variants
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has cautioned the global community about a new COVID-19 variant, BA.2.86.
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the director-general of WHO, while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the G20 health ministers’ meeting at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on Friday (August 18), said, “WHO has recently classified a new variant with a large number of mutations. The BA.2.86 variant is under monitoring at present, highlighting once again the need for all countries to maintain surveillance.”
What is the new COVID variant?
The new variant is BA.2.86, a sub-variant of Omicron. It was being called BA.X till now.
What does ‘variant under monitoring’ mean?
WHO monitors the different COVID variants under three categories: variants of concern, variants of interest, and variants under monitoring. Currently, there are six other variants under the agency’s list of “variants under monitoring".
Why has the red flag gone up?
The new variant is causing concern because of the large number of mutations that have been detected. It has been detected through genetic sequencing, though not many such sequences have been reported so far.
Which countries have reported cases of BA.2.86?
It was first reported in Israel, and since then, it has been detected in Denmark, the US (Michigan), and the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed its presence in the country on Friday (August 18), saying it was aware of one confirmed case in the UK. The agency said the infected person did not have any recent travel history, which suggested international transmission of the new variant.
UKHSA said the similarity of the genetic sequences in different countries implied that this variant had recently emerged and that it was growing rather rapidly, though this is a tentative analysis because of the small number of sequences.
How severe is BA.2.86?
Scientists say it is too early to make any statements about its intrinsic transmissibility and virulence. They say it is not expected to behave differently from the other Omicron variants that have been in circulation. They are of the opinion that even if the new variant caused a new wave, it might not result in similar levels of severe disease and death as was experienced earlier when the Alpha, Delta, or Omicron variants spread.
The scientists feel that the coming weeks would reveal how BA.2.86 compares with the other subvariants of Omicron.
What are the symptoms of BA.2.86?
There do not seem to be any new symptoms that have been reported, other than the usual COVID symptoms of headaches, fatigue, sneezing, a runny nose, and a sore throat.
How concerned should we be about BA.2.86?
The scientific community feels that there is no need to panic since most people have now been vaccinated, infected with COVID, or both. The high levels of population immunity should protect the general population against severe disease.
However, most of the vaccinations were taken some time ago, and there is a possibility that immune protection is fading. One worry is that the new variant might overcome past immune protection and make the vaccines less effective.
What should be our response?
As individuals, our best response is to be up to date on vaccines, keep our home ventilated and spend time outdoors, get tested if we spot symptoms, and stay at home for at least five days and limit contact with others if we have suspected or confirmed COVID.
The health authorities in countries should maintain surveillance and follow the COVID guidelines that have been established over the past few years of testing, tracking, quarantine, and treatment.
