Omicron BA.5 has cemented itself as the dominant Covid strain around the world. What’s worse, experts around the globe fear that this coronavirus variant could be the most infectious yet.
Experts have shared that Omicron BA.5 might be capable of re-infecting patients within weeks of recovery.
Patients have been reporting falling ill again after just recently battling the virus.
Andrew Roberston, chief health officer in Western Australia, told News.com.au: “What we are seeing is an increasing number of people who have been infected with BA.2 and then becoming infected after four weeks.
“So maybe six to eight weeks they are developing a second infection, and that’s almost certainly BA.4 or BA.5.”
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Experts have been afraid for a while now that BA.5, as well as BA.4, might be able to reinfect people even if they’ve recently had other types of Omicron.
While the previous vaccines haven’t been designed to match the new strains, the new vaccine, recently approved by the UK, promises to tackle both the original Covid virus as well as newer Omicron variants.
Developed by Moderna, the new jab should be rolled out as a part of the autumn booster campaign.
In the meantime, being able to spot key Covid symptoms could be helpful for identifying the virus.
DON’T MISS
Although you are not required to self-isolate by law anymore, the health service still recommends staying at home and avoiding contact with others when you experience Covid symptoms.
However, some scientists have been calling for a return of the self-isolation period to halt the summer surge.
The good news is that Covid cases in the UK continue to fall, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Around one in 40 people were estimated to suffer from Covid in England and Wales in the week ending on August 8 while one in 50 were believed to have the virus in Northern Ireland and one in 30 in Scotland.
