If you only have a few seconds, read these lines
- A chain circulates on WhatsApp with alleged recommendations from the Ministry of Health which ensures that the “XBB variant” of the coronavirus has new symptoms and “is 5 times more virulent than the Delta variant”.
- The portfolio led by Carla Vizzotti has denied that it is an official message from the ministry.
- The scientific evidence available to date indicates that Omicron sublines, such as XBB, are not particularly riskier than other circulating sublines.
Circulate on WhatsApp a chain with alleged recommendations from the Ministry of Health which ensures that the “new XBB variant” of the coronavirus “It’s different, it’s deadly, and it’s not easy to detect properly.” Moreover, he supports it “COVID-Omicron XBB is 5 times more virulent than the Delta variant and has a higher mortality rate than this” (sic) and having new symptoms.
However, this is FALSE.
The portfolio led by Carla Vizzotti denied the message and the information recommended through the official channels of the ministry. The Omicron XBB subvariant isn’t new, but it was detected in Asia last October. Moreover, the scientific evidence available to date points to this it is not particularly riskier or more difficult to detect than other circulating subvariants, nor does it cause different symptoms.
The chain was sent several times to Chequeado’s WhatsApp number (+54 9 11 3679-0690) to check. Also, it circulated in Singapore, Spain yes United States of Americaas recorded by local data verifiers.
What is XBB
All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, are constantly mutating. A “variant of concern” is identified when a certain number of these mutations accumulate, allowing viruses to transmit better and/or cause more serious disease.. This is what happened with Alpha, Delta and Omicron, for example, as we explained in this note.
This last variant, the Omicron spread rapidly and had many opportunities to mutate, so it acquired specific mutations which are known as sublineages or subvariants: XBB is one such subvariant. Technically, it is a recombination of subvariants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, according to details the World Health Organization (WHO).
Also, the WHO reported that at the beginning of October this sublineage had a global prevalence of 1.3% and which had been detected in 35 countries.
In Argentina the latest epidemiological bulletin reports the detection of a single case of “Omicron XBB.1”
What do we know about its impact?
The WHO Technical Advisory Group on the Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 (TAG-VE) Indian which recorded “a sharp increase in the prevalence of XBB in regional genomic surveillance, but it has not yet been consistently associated with an increase in new infections.”
Although further studies are needed, current data do not suggest that there are substantial differences in disease severity for XBB infections,” they added.
The specialists also indicated that ‘there is preliminary evidence indicating a higher risk of reinfection, compared to other circulating Omicron subtypes’. Specifically, they found that “cases of reinfection were mostly limited to those with initial infection in the pre-Omicron period.”
How indicate Spanish fact-checking site Maldita, in a technical synthesis of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation of the University of Washington (IHME), the director of this institution, Christopher Murray, details that XBB has caused an increase in hospitalizations in a short time in Singapore.
However, the specialist warns about it the subvariant does not appear to have any greater ability to evade defenses generated by vaccines or previous COVID-19 infections than other Ómicron lineages and it also doesn’t appear to cause more severe COVID-19.
There is no evidence that XBB is riskier
As we explained earlier, scientific evidence available to date indicates that the XBB sublineage is not particularly risky or difficult to diagnose, nor does it change the symptoms experienced with COVID-19. The characteristics of the virus remain within those identified as Ómicron and do not differ from other circulating subvariants.
It also does not have higher mortality than the Delta variant. In fact, several studies (cf here, here yes here), demonstrate that the risk of serious illness and/or death after SARS-CoV-2 infection is substantially lower for Omicron than for Delta.
To deny a version of this WhatsApp chain that was also circulating in Singapore, the local Ministry of Health he pointed that, although cases have increased, “The number of serious cases has remained low, perhaps due to immunity achieved by vaccinations and previous waves of infections.”
“Also, there is no evidence that XBB causes more serious disease. Until now, the vast majority of patients report mild symptoms such as a sore throat or fever, especially if they have been vaccinated.the Asian health authority added.
Vaccination remains the key
In recent days, the application of the third booster of the COVID-19 vaccine has been enabled throughout the country for those who received the second 120 days or more ago. Priority will be given to people over the age of 50 and those aged 18 and over with risk factors.
As we have pointed out in this notethe vaccines available in Argentina have proven very effective in preventing severe cases of COVID-19. Available evidence on the use of booster doses shows a longer duration of the immune response and a decrease in hospitalization and mortality from COVID-19.
Here you can find out where to apply the third reinforcement in the City of Buenos Aires is in the Province of Buenos Aires
