As the omicron variant becomes more widespread in the U.S., Dr. Carlos Malvestutto said there are currently three subvariants: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
The omicron variant has become more widespread in the U.S., leading to subvariants — descendents of the mutated virus.
Dr. Carlos Malvestutto, an associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State, said viruses mutate into new variants constantly, representing a natural process.
As students returned to campus for the spring semester Jan. 10, COVID-19 cases spiked to a positivity rate of nearly 10 percent.
Malvestutto said once the virus mutates, it is able to replicate more efficiently.
“That variant of the virus can have an advantage over the other circulate variants in a certain region or in a community,” Malvestutto said. “So as it spreads more efficiently, and it’s transmitted more efficiently, then it’s able to overtake other variants that may not spread quite as efficient.”
Malvestutto said there are currently three subvariants of the omicron variant: BA.1, the version of omicron that most people have been infected with; BA.2, which often presents with mild and unnoticeable symptoms and is more infectious than other subvariants; and newer BA.3.
Mikkel Quam, assistant professor in epidemiology, said COVID-19 spreads from an infected person’s respiratory system.
“Infections can be mitigated through vaccination, through distancing, through masking,” Quam said.
Malvestutto said BA.2 is now the most common subvariant of COVID-19 in places like Denmark, and it will likely become more widespread everywhere else.
Despite these new COVID-19 variants, Malvestutto said the current vaccines remain effective. He said while there is a reduction in the level of protection, the vaccines are still useful in protecting against serious side effects from omicron as they are from the delta variant.
“It’s protection from having severe disease that would lead to hospitalization,” Malvestutto said. “Estimates for omicron are that the level of protection is about the same for our current vaccines.”
Quam said masking and vaccination will help the university, and life beyond Ohio State, revert to pre-pandemic life.
“It’s these good strategies that have made it possible for the university to continue in person and for the state and city to be more and more open,” Quam said.
