Omicron Subvariant 1.5 Times More Contagious Than Omicron
January 30, 2022 — The Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, spreads about 1.5 times faster than the original Omicron strain, known as BA.1, according to CNBC.
The Statens Serum Institut, which monitors infectious diseases in Denmark, said that BA,2 is more contagious, but it doesn’t appear to increase hospitalizations or reduce how well the vaccine works.
BA.2 overtook BA.1 as the primary variant in Denmark within a few weeks, Troels Lillebaek, director of the institute, told CNBC. The subvariant has five unique mutations on a key part of the spike protein, which is what the coronavirus uses to invade human cells, he said. This often means a higher rate of spreading.
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