It spreads quickly and is highly contagious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the presence of BA.5 in the US accounted for 65% of new infections last week. It is also currently the most dominant strain of the COVID-19 virus. The subvariant is the only strain of the virus currently classified as a “variant of concern” by the CDC. BA.5 also happens to be the dominant strain of COVID-19 in New Jersey. Here’s what you need to know about the latest strain of omicron and the symptoms to look out for.
What are the symptoms of the BA.5 subvariant of COVID?
The symptoms of BA.5, like other variants of COVID-19, can vary widely from person to person depending on their age and other health factors. However, BA.5 tends to share symptoms with other subvariants of the micron. Dr. Sandra Adams, professor of biology and virologist at Montclair State University, told NJ Advance Media that the symptoms of BA.5 “resemble those of upper respiratory infections, such as runny nose, sore throat, headache, fever, persistent cough. and fatigue.” “The symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of the BA.2 and BA.4 variants,” Adams added. “The BA-5 variant is more contagious because it appears to evade antibody protection from previous infections and vaccines. The mutations allow BA.5 to escape neutralizing antibodies elicited by earlier Omicron variants. However, vaccines and previous infections still provide protection against serious disease.” It’s still too early to know whether BA.5 causes dramatically different symptoms than the COVID-19 variants that came before it, but the “loss of taste or smell” found in earlier forms of COVID-19 was relatively uncommon. However, there has been anecdotal evidence that people have lost their sense of smell as BA.5 cases increase, according to NBC News.
How can I protect myself from the BA.5 subvariant?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), get vaccinated if you are 6 months of age or older and have not had your primary vaccination series. If you are 5 years or older, the CDC recommends a booster shot if you qualify. Our journalism needs your support. Sign up today at NJ.com. Do you have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
