Two new omikron variants have emerged in South Africa. It causes an increase in infections and hospital admissions. There is no reason to panic yet, but it does teach us a lesson about the pandemic, says virologist Marion Koopmans.
“We must continue to think about what we can do ourselves to protect people with vulnerable health,” emphasizes Koopmans. According to the OMT member, we don’t have to worry too much about the new variants, “but we must continue to realize that the pandemic is not over.”
BA4 and BA5
The variants we are talking about have been given the name BA4 and BA5 and are variants of Omikron – the variant that caused us to suddenly have to go into a hard lockdown at the end of last year. “If you look at the latest figures in South Africa, you can see that the number of infections is rising rapidly, and hospital admissions are also rising again. The two new variants are now dominant in the country,” explains Koopmans.
“These are again more contagious than the first Omikron variant, which also comes from South Africa. But Omikron generally gives a less severe clinical picture. The first indications from South Africa are that it actually doesn’t differ that much. These new variants could also be mild. cause infections.”
How corona keeps mutating
Don’t overestimate
According to Koopmans, we should keep an eye on the South African data if we look at what it means for the Netherlands. “We may be lucky, but we should not overestimate it. Much is still unclear. In the Netherlands we had a different Omikron variant (BA2) than in South Africa, so we also have other antibodies. We do not know whether the problems of BA4 and BA5 are the same here.”
What do we know from South Africa? “That these variants can escape the antibodies of the first variant. We do know that the risk of this is a lot smaller in those who have been vaccinated. Then this variant is very little.”
Multiple Waves
Certainly in the short term, the new variants will not cause any problems. “In the summer we have the advantage of the seasonal effect,” explains Koopmans. “On the other hand, people will travel a lot and have more activities, so we have to keep a finger on the pulse.”
“At the moment, the outbreak in South Africa means that we have to take into account the fact that it can also happen to us. We don’t know yet whether exactly these variants are a problem. But we still have to take it into account anyway. I think we’re really going to get another wave or more waves, probably in the autumn.”
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Advice
Koopmans concludes with advice that we hardly hear anymore since the public press conferences stopped. “Use a self-test when you visit someone in poor health. And be careful if you have a cold.”
“The virus is still circulating. We are certainly not over it yet.”
