The director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Nirav Shah, says the first two cases of the BA.2 variant of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in Maine. They were identified through work with the Jackson Lab. He says it is not unexpected to find the cases.BA.2 is one of the so-called sub-lineages of the omicron variant and has been termed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. Early data suggests it is more contagious than BA.1, the current omicron variant dominant in the U.S. However, the World Health Organization says the difference in transmissibility between BA.2 and BA.1 is smaller than the difference between BA.1 and the delta variant.The BA.2 sub-lineage comprises a growing percentage of omicron cases, but Shah says there is an overall global decline of cases.Shah says emerging data suggests prior infection with omicron protects against re-infection from BA.2, but the extent of the protection is unclear. He also says that research is still being done to learn how effective current vaccines are against BA.2.As of Monday, the Maine CDC said 168 Mainers with COVID-19 were in the hospital, 39 were in critical care and 13 were on a ventilator.
AUGUSTA, Maine —
The director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Nirav Shah, says the first two cases of the BA.2 variant of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in Maine. They were identified through work with the Jackson Lab. He says it is not unexpected to find the cases.
BA.2 is one of the so-called sub-lineages of the omicron variant and has been termed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. Early data suggests it is more contagious than BA.1, the current omicron variant dominant in the U.S. However, the World Health Organization says the difference in transmissibility between BA.2 and BA.1 is smaller than the difference between BA.1 and the delta variant.
The BA.2 sub-lineage comprises a growing percentage of omicron cases, but Shah says there is an overall global decline of cases.
Shah says emerging data suggests prior infection with omicron protects against re-infection from BA.2, but the extent of the protection is unclear. He also says that research is still being done to learn how effective current vaccines are against BA.2.
As of Monday, the Maine CDC said 168 Mainers with COVID-19 were in the hospital, 39 were in critical care and 13 were on a ventilator.