BA.4 and BA.5 appear to be more transmissible than the original Omicron variant and have a better shot at evading existing immunity, given a new surge in South Africa.
Coronavirus cases have risen by nearly 30% in California over the last week. Hospitalizations are up, too.Some health experts say South Africa’s BA.4/BA.5 wave could repeat in the U.S. — but probably not immediately.But will South Africa’s experience be a prelude to a surge in late summer or autumn in the U.S., as Americans’ immunity from a natural Omicron infection or their last vaccination weakens? Maybe, but “we don’t know,” Chin-Hong said.
The emergence of BA.4 and BA.5 means “that Omicron is still very much alive and well, and seeking ways in which it can evolve to be even more transmissible,” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. And people who are at higher risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19 may want to avoid risky situations entirely, Kim-Farley said.
Chin-Hong said it’s important for people to know ways to reduce risk. Besides getting up-to-date on vaccinations and booster shots and wearing a mask in indoor public settings, people also can reduce risk by learningEvusheld
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