This browser does not support the Video element.
BA.2 is more transmissible than omicron
The CDC says the BA.2 subvariant of omicron is more transmissible than omicron.
What do we know about "stealth omicron" so far?
The so-called stealth omicron variant of the coronavirus is an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant, but it doesn't seem to cause more severe disease.
Since it was first identified in November, BA.2 has been spreading around the globe, driving new surges in parts of Asia and Europe. It's now the dominant coronavirus version in the U.S. and more than five dozen other countries.
It was given the "stealth" nickname because it looks like the earlier delta variant on certain PCR tests, says Kristen Coleman at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. The original omicron, by contrast, is easy to differentiate from delta because of a genetic quirk.
Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app | Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters
In rare cases, early research indicates BA.2 can infect people even if they've already had an omicron infection. COVID-19 vaccines appear just as effective against both kinds of omicron, offering strong protection against severe illness and death.
Health officials also are tracking other variants including XE — a combination of BA.2 and BA.1, the original omicron — that was first identified in January in the United Kingdom. The World Health Organization is keeping tabs on XE but has not yet deemed it a variant of concern or interest.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Mental Health in a Pandemic
Any global pandemic is a massive threat to public health. And that includes mental health. Lauren Urban, a New York City-based psychotherapist, talked to FOX 5 NY about what we can all be mindful of during this tense time in our lives. (Produced by Arun Kristian Das)
Related Stories
- How will the world decide when the pandemic is over?
- Pandemic triggered children's mental health emergency, groups say
- How the coronavirus pandemic can attack your mental health
(AP Illustration)