Current Events > The omicron subvariant dominating U.S. COVID-19 cases is more vaccine-resistant

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/15/1111648759/covid-19-coronavirus-omicron-variant-ba5-cdc-vaccines-masks-mayo-clinic

The BA.5 omicron subvariant, which is now the most prevalent coronavirus strain in the United States, is four times more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines, according to a new study.

The strain, which is considered "hypercontagious," according to the Mayo Clinic, is more defiant against messenger RNA vaccines, which include Pfizer and Moderna.

The BA.5 strain represented 65% of cases from July 3 to 9, according to data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

It is contributing to increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units across the country.

But vaccines still provide much better protection than going without the safeguards.

Unvaccinated people have about a five times higher chance of contracting the virus than those who are vaccinated and boosted, while chances of hospitalization are 7.5 times higher, and chances of death are 14 to 15 times higher, said Dr. Gregory Poland, head of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.

"Let me make a clear, clear point here that's a little tough to hear: Whether you've been vaccinated, whether you've been previously infected, whether you've been previously infected and vaccinated, you have very little protection against BA.5 in terms of getting infected or having mild to moderate infection," he said. "You have good protection against dying, being hospitalized or ending up on a ventilator."

The CDC still recommends getting tested if you experience COVID-19 symptoms, and wearing masks depending on the number of cases where you live.

The more contagious omicron variant was first detected in the U.S. in December 2021.

As the BA.5 strain becomes more popular, incidences of the BA.1, BA 1.1 and BA.2 omicron subvariants have declined.

Still waiting on a new booster

Irony posted...

Still waiting on a new booster

concerned that what i caught wouldn't do jack squat against BA.5
it's started appearing a few days ago. but the county i live in didn't have alot of BA.5 going around just alot of BA. 2 variants.

We're going to be dealing with this for the rest of our lives because a bunch of absolute morons decided they were special and didn't need to follow any rules

Not trying to downplay this, but isn't it expected at this point that any strain that we hear about is going to be more vaccine resistant?

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That's not fair. Most of us have been safe and gotten our shots, and really how long can we shelter in place and keep living under the constant threat of Covid? It's been 2 years. I wore my mask, got my shots, and even got Covid. So I've done all I can do. Direct your anger at the fuckwits still spouting "plandemic" and refusing to take "dA jAb". They're the reason we're still balls deep in this mess.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/1/6/AANRQlAADdMg.jpg

Is an Omicron booster in the works? I feel like the vaccines based off the Alpha strain wouldn't be nearly as effective against Omicron.

I gave up wearing masks and living life like the pandemic is over. Seems im not the only one no one else is wearing masks in my area.

Stewman_Magoo posted...

Is an Omicron booster in the works?

supposed to be one in the fall.

Well what else was going to happen? They helped it by giving up and bending over backwards to pretend it was completely over.

PoundGarden posted...

That's not fair. Most of us have been safe and gotten our shots, and really how long can we shelter in place and keep living under the constant threat of Covid? It's been 2 years. I wore my mask, got my shots, and even got Covid. So I've done all I can do. Direct your anger at the fuckwits still spouting "plandemic" and refusing to take "dA jAb". They're the reason we're still balls deep in this mess.

The covid-casual crowd has been just as much of a hindrance to recovery as the aggressive, frothing-at-the-mouth antivaxxer; one is a vocal minority, and one is a silent (or at least less-vocal) majority that has a subtler yet equal (or even stronger) sway on public policy. The covid-casual crowd, among other things, is the type of person who: doesn't wear a mask in public, or take similar reasonable precautions unless they're forced to; eagerly declared 'mission accomplished' on Covid in the spring of 2021, and lambasted people who were still insisting on precautions with the line 'it's like some of you don't even want the pandemic to be over;' thinks mask and vaccine mandates are an overreach, and feels relief instead of stress (either openly or secretly) when either gets removed / shot down; thinks the death count is the only factor that matters when gauging the severity of Covid; routinely insists that Omicron is 'milder' as a way to downplay preventative measures.

Maybe such things apply to you, maybe they don't. I won't assume. And I don't think it's worthwhile nor morally correct to go picking fights with every covid-casual person I come across. But if a covid-casual were to start complaining and passing the buck when they feel like they don't deserve any criticism over this? Sorry, but those people are not the innocent little lambs they think they are.

https://i.imgur.com/u0UzoAu.png

I'm now on my second booster, so have had 4 shots. I live in a major city but kinda near the outer edge, so I frequent both city areas and suburban areas when I travel further out. I still wear my mask at indoor places except for when seated at restaurant and whatnot. I've gone to a few concerts during pandemic but always kept my mask on except for while taking a drink. Have never gotten COVID that I'm aware of.

I told my wife (who also wears a mask in most places she goes), that I don't want to stop wearing my mask because I want to normalize wearing it. The less of us with masks the harder it is to make it normal again when it's needd. But I'll tell you, every time I go out, I still see the majority of people have stopped wearing them. It's frustrating to see people basically pretending like COVID never happened.

If only stupid people had been humble enough to not disagree with doctors who know far more than they do.

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"That I'm not getting" - chuds

Is there a reason a new vaccine hasn't been put out that is better against newer strands? With how quickly the original vaccines came out I figured there would be something by now. From what I'm reading I don't qualify for another booster at this time which stinks because it's been about 10 months since I got the last one.

Relient_K posted...

Is there a reason a new vaccine hasn't been put out that is better against newer strands? With how quickly the original vaccines came out I figured there would be something by now. From what I'm reading I don't qualify for another booster at this time which stinks because it's been about 10 months since I got the last one.

I think they're modifying it due to concerns that the next mutation might totally escape the current vaccine

"As the BA.5 strain becomes more popular, incidences of the BA.1, BA 1.1 and BA.2 omicron subvariants have declined."

More popular is uhhh...a strange way to word this.

Yeah, no shit. The virus has evolved over time to be more and more different from the original strain that the vaccines were developed based on, and because getting updated shots out takes so long, by the time one's out, the virus will have changed further, making even the updated vaccine imperfect (though likely much better than the current one) against it.

With mRNA technology, they should be able to keep on top of newer variants far, far faster than they're doing. But, regulatory hurdles and whatnot are preventing that.

Yo dawg I heard you like variants...

Relient_K posted...

Is there a reason a new vaccine hasn't been put out that is better against newer strands? With how quickly the original vaccines came out I figured there would be something by now. From what I'm reading I don't qualify for another booster at this time which stinks because it's been about 10 months since I got the last one.

Developing the vaccine is easy. They can be updated in like a week. The thing that takes forever is getting the FDA to approve it.