A top health official said on 8 July that the Omicron sub-variant BA.4, BA.5 could lead to a rise in a new COVID infection.
They also set out some rules to protect against further viruses, including staying up-to-date on vaccinations, staying home when community transmission is high or when a person is at high risk, and when sick.
In a tweet, global health leader and epidemiologist Dr. Tom Frieden wrote, “Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 are gaining ground and could lead us to a new infection. We can protect ourselves and others by staying up-to-date about vaccinations, staying home when community transmission is high or if you are at high risk, and when you are sick.”
He further suggested that even though the mask is not mandatory, it remains an important tool to help reduce the spread of COVID.
He also said that according to a recent analysis, wearing a mask significantly reduces the reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2.
Apart from this, he also emphasized on the use of N95 masks to protect against Kovid.
“If you’re medically vulnerable or just want better protection, up your mask to N95,” he said.
“If you are concerned about getting COVID (medically vulnerable or otherwise) and you are indoors with others who are not masked, consider upgrading to N95. Cloths and surgical masks protect if everyone wears them, but if others are not masked, a tightly fitted N95 is far more effective,” he said.
Two sub-lineages, which were added to the World Health Organization watch list in March and designated as forms of concern by the European Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The WHO COVID update states that among the Omicron lineages, the ratio of Ba.5 to Ba.4 continues to increase. BA.5 has been detected in 83 countries. Although BA.4, which is found in 73 countries, is also increasing globally, the rate of increase is not as high as BA.5.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are driving infections, accounting for at least 70% nationwide.
Read also: New covid sub-versions detected in India under WHO monitoring: 10 points
According to Dan Baruch, a virologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, although they are more permeable and better able to evade immune defenses than earlier versions, people who have been vaccinated or previously infected are usually suffer from low rates of disease.
Meanwhile, a new Sub-Descent BA.2.75 The Omicron version of the coronavirus found in India and some other countries is being closely monitored by the World Health Organisation, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“In Europe and America, BA.4 and BA.5 are making waves. A new sub-lineage of BA.2.75 has also been detected in countries like India, which we are following.”
Globally, the number of new weekly cases increased for the fourth consecutive week following a declining trend since the last peak in March 2022, said the WHO weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19, released on 6 July.