Additionally, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnsons Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least four months ago may now receive a second booster dose with an mRNA vaccine. "It's not like this variant has increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity," Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Prevention. According to experts, this is actually referring to a new omicron variant that has proven to frequently be mistaken for the Delta variant via PCR testing. Dr. Rohatsch brings his extensive background in multi-site ambulatory medicine operations, on-demand healthcare, and consumerism to Solv, where he helps drive strategic initiatives in a cross functional executive role. So far, symptoms appear to be consistent with the omicron variant. FWIW, its a controversial nickname that not everyone is into. "This may mean higher peak infections in places that have yet to peak, and a slowdown in the downward trends in places that have already experienced peak Omicron,"Thomas Peacock, PhD, a virologist at Imperial College London, explain to The New York Times. "BA.2 may extend the Omicron wave a little longer, but I don't think it changes the overall trajectory of the pandemic," Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Prevention, adding that "there is no cause for concern with BA.2 as everything you do to handle BA.1 is applicable.". The stealth Omicron variant has already made its way around several countries including Denmark, India, Sweden, and Singapore, according to Verywell Health. "I have not seen anything to indicate that the symptoms with BA.2 are different from BA.1," Dr. Edwards says. Copyright 1995 - 2023 American Medical Association. The concern is that people are discontinuing mask wearing, opening up venues and getting rid of a lot of the COVID-19 precautions, which may provide a foothold for this and future variants then to take off., We've been seeing a lot more of sore throat and pharyngitis that we didn't really see before, said Dr. Crum. In just roughly two months, this variant has taken over an estimated 99.9 percent of new cases in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Solv can help you schedule your COVID vaccines or visit a licensed provider near you. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Dr. Adalja agrees. Those symptoms are . You are just one step away from creating your watchlist! The top 5 symptoms in both periods were: runny nose. scientific studies and medical journals. Death continues to be stable. Council on Long Range Planning & Development, What doctors wish patients knew about long COVID, What doctors wish patients knew about COVID-19 vaccine boosters, COVID-19, strep, STDs and Marburg cases on the rise with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, COVID-19, strep, STDs and Marburg cases on the rise with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH [Podcast], XBB.1.5, new COVID-19 and flu at-home test, plus CDC shigellosis warning with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, PAs pushing to expand their scope of practice across the country, 10 keys M4s should follow to succeed during residency training, Training tomorrows doctors to put patients first. Dubbed as "stealth", the sub-variant of Omicron is concerning as they are hard to detect. daily newsletter, This One Symptom Could Be Your First Sign of Omicron, Doctors Warn. Headache. The city has seen its case metrics climbing in recent weeks. Were seeing very low rates of positivity for coronavirus right now and were actually seeing more influenza, said Dr. Crum. Most vaccinated people either have no symptoms or exhibit very mild symptoms, according to health officials, and the virus rarely results in hospitalization or death for those individuals. Download AMA Connect app for Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. These symptoms can occur two to three days after becoming infected with the virus and can last for a long time in the body," adds Dr Grover. Patients, help us protect our high-risk patients - please wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, a positive COVID-19 test, or COVID-19 exposure. In a lot of ways, it's a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches and fatigue," said Dr.. As the new variant is a sub-lineage of Omicron, it can therefore be expected that . Experts say you shouldnt stress about this variant. But it's also already been reported in several U.S. states, including Washington, Texas, New York, New Mexico, Utah, and California, per NBC News. Those include: Anecdotal reports have suggested that dizziness could be a possible symptom, but they are so far unfounded. Officials and members gather to elect officers and address policy at the 2023 AMA Annual Meeting being held in Chicago, June 9-14, 2023. I know nobody wants to hear that, but thats really the reality of where things are.. He has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications. The good news, however, is that Omicron cases have waned after its predicted January peak and will hopefully continue to trend downward. The AMAsWhat Doctors Wish Patients Knew series provides physicians with a platform to share what they want patients to understand about todays health care headlines, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Northwestern's Dr. Michael Angarone, an associate professor of medicine in infectious diseases, said the symptoms for BA.2 are similar to those seen in many COVID infections. Its a whirlwind of activities with lots of planning Another day, another COVID-19 variant in the news at least thats what it feels like these days. It is not intended as, and Solv Health, Inc. does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Rohatsch says, If you are up to date with your vaccines, including the bivalent booster released last Fall, you do not need an additional shot right now. And as regions all across the country begin to ease the few mask mandates that remain, we can understand why this new development may cause concern. Rising COVID infections associated with the so-called "stealth" omicron variant BA.2 are fueling fresh leeriness about the state of the pandemic in Massachusetts and across the country, just as life as we now know it is beginning to return to normal. But I'm less confident in that statement than I would have been for prior variants, given what we've seen.". As Dr. Van Kerkhove, WHO epidemiologist, noted, XBB.1.16 replaced other existing variants in India. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Its moniker comes from the fact that certain lab tests can't register BA.2 as entirely unique in its genetic structure at first, according to CNN. It's expected that more data will be made available to U.S. healthcare providers soon, as BA.2 accounts for about 50% of new COVID-19 cases in Denmark and has become the dominant strain in India, per CNN. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. The symptoms COVID infections, according to the CDC, include: Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Your session has expired, please login again. But, as we know from the past, variants have the potential to mutate and cause widespread illness. The most common symptoms of the Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, congestion or runny nose, and fever. Currently, no new symptoms have been identified. It's not to say that researchers won't notice a new trend or common thread between "stealth" Omicron infections that differ from Omicron infections now, Delta-linked infections or those earliest cases of COVID-19 in 2020. While we hate to be the bearer of even more bad news, this new variant appears to be able to spread as rapidly as the OG omicron. Here's What We Know So Far, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day', Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. The NHS explained: "These may come and go throughout the day. Informally, some researchers are calling the new variant "stealth Omicron" because it lacks the deletion that allows PCR tests to spot it. Studies have clearly shown the benefit of vaccination despite prior COVID infection.. I don't see this moving the dial significantly in terms of posing a new, huge problem.". "Last week in Denmark, BA.2 was about 60 percent of the cases. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, current vaccines provide similar protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. This might be especially true given the fact that no research has indicated that the subvariant is any more likely to counteract the efficacy of our COVID vaccines. Additionally, the FDA recently approved a second booster shot for people who are above 65 or have compromised immunity.. Another problem with detecting Stealth Omicron is that the symptoms are almost identical to those of the original Omicron variant. What Is BA.2, the So-Called Stealth Omicron Variant? They're a population that we have to be especially concerned about. They also have BA.1 but it looks like BA.2 is replacing BA.1," Luban told the news outlet. Omicron has branched into three lineages, explains Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. 2023 Galvanized Media. The Stealth Omicron variant has fueled the recent outbreak in China, which according to reports is the biggest one in two years for the east Asian country. However, there is no need to worry since symptoms have been mild, with no rise in hospitalizations or ICU admissions. In case you cant find any email from our side, please check the spam folder. In fact, a lot of the data that's emerging is that it's more common in patients who have mild COVID to develop long COVID. BA.1, aka the Omicron that people have largely been tracking, is missing one of three target genes that are used in a standard PCR test, Dr. Russo explains. (BA.3, which is pretty rare, seems to be a mix of BA.1 and BA.2 that infected the same person at the same time, scrambling their viral genes in the process.). Data released in late January showed BA.2 to be 33% more infections than BA.1 among a . Stealth Omicron Symptoms: Sore Throat, Elevated Heart Rate and Other Symptoms to Watch Out For! ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. Other experts say they don't feel like the emergence of the stealth Omicron variant is any cause for panic. 11 Potential Stealth Omicron Symptoms Experts Say May Impact Breakthrough Cases. Some people started calling it stealth Omicron as a result, even though PCR tests would still come up positive for COVID-19 and show all three target genes like they did before Omicron surfaced. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesperson Kristen Nordlung told The Washington Post last week that 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.. According to the CDC data, XBB.1.16 is now 9% of the total COVID cases in the United States and is found in over 20 states. But now, there is another concern on the horizon: the Omicron subvariant, BA.2. Even though BA.2 is labelled a subvariant of Omicron, its genetic make-up is quite different from the latter. Its more contagious, but not more severe. Shutterstock. The stealth Omicron variant could cause a number of symptoms. Get the latest news in medicine and public health delivered to your inbox MondayFriday. The deadly novel coronavirus mutated over time and and has created newer variants that fueled every wave of the pandemic. It may help to remember that XBB.1.16 is a part of the Omicron family, similar to previous versions. What Are Dehydration Headaches? Omicron BA.2 . According to Manish Naik, M.D., internal medicine physician at Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas, this variant, which has been formally recognized by the World Health Organization, has the official name BA.2, whereas standard omicron is referred to as BA.1. BA.2 was initially detected in Canada, Australia, the U.K., and South Africa in December, and a few cases have more recently been discovered in the U.S., he says. Not only that, but research is showing that this new variant is the most transmissible one to date, even more so than the original Omicron variant, and its accounting for a significant proportion of reported cases in the dozens of countries where its popping up. As per one of the leading professors in the UK, cases of Stealth Omicron show symptoms of the gut. Still, omicron presented a shift in common symptoms for many. While it appears that BA.2 does not cause more severe disease, COVID could linger longer in our community due to this new Omicron strain.. The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. Some scientists have referred to BA.2 as a "stealth" variant because, although it has many mutations in common with the original BA.1 Omicron variant, it lacks a genetic deletion on the spike protein that allows the rapid identification of probable cases using certain PCR tests. This new iteration of the fast-spreading variant has been gaining a foothold in several counties since Jan. 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. I mean, for BA.1, we knew that it was mostly an upper respiratory-type infection rather than the lower respiratory infections that can lead toward pneumonia and further and greater complications," he said. BA.2, though, is increasing in many countries, the WHO says online. "The most reported symptoms of Omicron are really very much like a cold, especially in people who've been vaccinated," Claire Steves, PhD, a scientist from King's College London involved with Zoe, confirmed in a Jan. 6 video. "So this is the same virus, so SARS Coronavirus 2, so we're seeing the same symptoms," he said. RELATED: The five most common Omicron symptoms, as reported by the ZOE Covid study, are as follows: Runny nose Headache Fatigue (mild or severe) Sneezing Sore throat Is stealth Omicron dangerous?. We are seeing some just some bubbling up here and there and that's important to keep an eye on, but overall stable. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day. There are two FAQs, one designed to answerpatientsquestions (PDF), and another to addressphysiciansCOVID-19 vaccine questions (PDF). If there's a question, take a test The stealth variant has about 20 mutations that differ from the original Omicron, according toFrancois Balloux, a professor of computational system biology and director of the UCL Genetics Institute in London. Why Trust Us? This means there has been a break from some of the earlier tell-tale COVID symptoms like loss of smell or taste and shortness of breath. Dr. Russo doesnt anticipate that the recent Omicron wave of COVID-19 cases will be heightened much by BA.2. So, when doctors look at testing results, theyve usually been able to see that someone is infected with the Omicron variant just by spotting the absence of that particular target gene. This so-called stealth variant, officially known as BA.2, is armed with even higher transmission potential, and possibly a greater ability to evade the immune response, than the original Omicron . Some of these fall in line with tell-tale Omicron symptoms. But now, there is another concern on the horizon: the Omicron subvariant, BA.2. "BA.2 may extend the Omicron wave a little longer, but I don't think it changes the overall trajectory of the pandemic," Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Prevention, adding that "there is no cause for concern with BA.2 as everything you do to handle BA.1 is applicable.". Stealth Omicron Symptoms. The positivity rate is also up to 1.8%, an increase from the 1.5% reported last week. Some experts believe the stealth subvariant could stop progress in the U.S. Dr. Edwards clarifies that its nickname isn't tied to how quickly it spreads, as there isn't enough data to confirm if BA.2 spreads faster than the original BA.1 just yet. There is no need to panic; public health agencies continue to track the variant closely. In Denmark, for example, BA.2 is responsible for almost half of COVID-19 cases in the country, according to governmental research institute Statens Serum Institut. Always contact your healthcare provider directly with any questions you may have regarding your health or specific medical advice. If youre 50 or older and its been at least four months since your last booster, or if you have a compromised immune system, you are eligible for another mRNA booster to increase protection against severe disease from COVID-19. According to The Daily Express, there are seven symptoms U.K. researchers have already associated with the new stealth Omicron variant: fever, extreme fatigue, coughing, sore throat, sore head, muscular fatigue, and an elevated heart rate. Other experts say they don't feel like the emergence of the stealth Omicron variant is any cause for panic. The sub-variant has quickly earned a moniker the "stealth" Omicron variant as officials begin to learn more about its unique characteristics, explains Karen Edwards, Ph.D., professor and chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. The UK has been hard-hit by a further spike in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with infections being driven by a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant known as BA.2 or "Stealth Omicron".. Among individuals who had received at least one dose of vaccine, the most common symptoms were sneezing, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, and headache, they found. There will always be evolution of this virus towards heightened transmissibility, he adds. Public health officials and scientists are closely monitoring BA.2, which has been described as a "stealth" variantbecause it has genetic mutations that could make it harder to distinguish from. And alongside its similarly rapid spread, this subvariant has been dubbed the "stealth" Omicron variant by many scientists because it is actually harder to detect than Omicron. One major unknown is how the new variant emerged.. Some of these fall in line with tell-tale Omicron symptoms. A new version of the omicron variant is starting to spread around the world. With the BA.2 variant, sometimes called "stealth Omicron," driving a surge of cases in Europe, people are eager to distinguish the symptoms of Omicron from those of other coronavirus variants . Our members are the frontline of patient care, expanding access to care for underserved patients and developing key prevention strategies. Here's what you can expect if you experience a breakthrough infection. "However, when you look at the cases, they do not appear to be any more severe and they do not appear to evade immune responses either from vaccines or prior infections.". According to a new report from officers at the World Health Organization, this new version of the Omicron variant officially known as BA.2, a further iteration of the same strain, called BA.1 differs from earlier mutations due to its cellular spike protein structure. The beginning of a new school year is always hectic. Patients can also have gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, and loss of taste or loss of smell, although Ive seen that a lot less with the newer variants, she said, noting that symptoms for BA.2 may also include muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting, and congestion. Having first been identified in December 2021, this variant has propelled infections (including breakthrough cases) in all corners of the world, up to 49 countries, including the United States. The BA.2 has been sometimes dubbed a stealth variant because it is missing key mutations in its spike protein that are necessary for rapid PCR tests to distinguish it from previous variants, such as Delta. "While we're waiting for data to come in, I would expect that somebody who has just had, if you knew that it was Omicron, you would probably be unlikely to get Omicron again for the next few months based on what we've seen previously. "BA.2 has a number of mutations that BA.1 does not have that are in the region of genomes that concerns us," Jeremy Luban, MD, a professor of molecular medicine, biochemistry, and molecular pharmacology at University of Massachusetts Medical School, told Verywell Health. But we do need to be careful because we still have quite a few unvaccinated people in the United States and if were going to take away masks and other preventive strategies, weve got to be cautious, she added. Its really hitting people at the prime of their life and people who never were hospitalized for COVID that just cant shake the symptoms that go on and on.. According to the CDC, COVID cases had fallen 20 percent in the last two weeks, despite Omicron's dominance. Despite BA.2 being labeled a subvariant of Omicron, there are still significant differences in the genetic makeup of the variants. } The latest COVID variants are spreading faster with more breakthrough infections. WHO had recently mentioned that Omicron primarily affects the upper respiratory tract instead of the lungs, unlike some prior versions of the virus, like Delta. As the Stealth Omicron variant is diverse from the Omicron variant to such a great extent, it is difficult to trace its nature and its aggressiveness. The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant version of COVID-19 in the U.S. I haven't seen data to suggest that vaccines would not be helpful for the current circulating variants, said Dr. Crum. How Many Steps Do I Need a Day for Weight Loss? Looking for cold-like symptoms can help keep you and others protected this holiday season. This variant can cause digestive problems like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heatburn . That progress, however, plateaued right as cases of BA.2 increased in circulation. That means being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (and getting your booster shot when you're eligible) and wearing a mask in indoor spaces will help protect you against it. Despite it's foreboding name, experts are adamant that "stealth" Omicron infections can still be identified on both clinical PCR COVID-19 tests as well as home-based rapid result tests. All Rights Reserved. Hospitalizations and deaths have declined over the last week, though officials previously noted those metrics often lag behind a rise in cases. But other common COVID-19 symptoms, like cough, fever . With expert resources and tireless advocacy, the AMA is your powerful ally against COVID-19. "The most reported symptoms of Omicron are really very much like a cold, especially in people who've been vaccinated," Claire Steves, PhD, a scientist from King's College London involved with Zoe, confirmed in a Jan. 6 video. But still notable and important to point out". Even though dizziness and fatigue are common everyday symptoms, one must keep an eye out for the persistence of the same. According to the infectious disease expert, this includes making sure you're fully vaccinated, getting your booster shot when you're eligible, and wearing a mask in indoor spaces. If this bothers you for a couple of days or more, then one should consult a doctor. A lot of those populations, especially the very immunosuppressed, will not have great immune responses to the vaccine or to having COVID infection in the past, said Dr. Crum. Called BA.2 by scientists, it has earned itself a more ominous (and more catchy) nickname: stealth omicron. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Again, here in Illinois, we are seeing these rising cases and a context of much lower cases than we had seen in the winter. Prior to joining GH in 2019, Zee fostered a nutrition background as an editor at Cooking Light and is continually developing his grasp of holistic health through collaboration with leading academic experts and clinical care providers. BA.2 may extend the Omicron wave a little longer, but I dont think it changes the overall trajectory of the pandemic, he says. What will happen with this in the next few weeks? Stealth Omicron: New variant seen in 'all regions in England' - top 20 symptoms to spot OMICRON took the world by surprise, spreading like wildfire and sparking fears of immune escape. ralph garza jr related to matt garza, pappas plaza new smyrna beach,