A new sub-variant of the omicron variant of COVID-19, known as BA.5, has been detected in the US and several other countries.
It spreads quickly and is highly portable.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the presence of BA.5 in the US accounted for 65% of new infections in the past week.
It is also currently the most dominant strain of the COVID-19 virus.
The subvariant is the only strain of the virus currently classified as a “variant of concern” by the CDC.
BA.5 also happens to be the dominant strain of COVID-19 in New Jersey.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest omicron strain and the symptoms to watch out for.
What are the symptoms of the BA.5 subvariant of COVID?
The symptoms of BA.5, like other variants of COVID-19, can vary greatly from person to person depending on age and other health factors.
However, BA.5 tends to share symptoms with other omicron subvariants.
Dr. Sandra Adams, professor of biology and virology at Montclair State University, told NJ Advance Media that the symptoms of BA.5 “are like those of upper respiratory tract infections, such as runny nose, sore throat, headache, fever, persistent cough and fatigue.”
“The symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of variants BA.2 and BA.4,” Adams added. “The BA-5 variant is more transferable because it appears to evade antibody protection from previous infections and vaccines. The mutations allow BA.5 to escape neutralizing antibodies elicited by previous Omicron variants. However, vaccines and previous infections still provide protection against serious illness.
It’s still too early to know whether BA.5 causes dramatically different symptoms than the COVID-19 variants that preceded it, but the “loss of taste or smell” found in earlier forms of COVID-19 is relatively uncommon .
However, there is anecdotal evidence of people losing their sense of smell as BA.5 cases increase, according to NBC News.
How do I protect myself from the BA.5 sub-variant?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), get vaccinated if you are 6 months of age or older and have not received your primary vaccination series.
If you’re 5 or older, the CDC recommends a booster shot if you’re eligible.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Any advice? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
Add Comment