6 Omicron subvariants that may be more transmissible, evade vaccines being monitored —expert

Health experts are now monitoring six additional COVID-19 Omicron subvariants in different countries that may be more transmissible and may evade the current vaccines, an infectious diseases expert said Monday.

Based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website, the Omicron subvariants under monitoring as of September 22, 2022 are BA.5.1, BA.5.2, BA.2.75, BQ.1, BJ.1, and BA.4.6.

“Although mabababa pa ang mga rate nito sa ibang bansa, pero these six subvariants are being monitored because they have characteristic na puwedeng mataas ang mutation, na puwedeng mataas ang hawaan, at puwedeng makaiwas doon sa  mga bakuna o mga antibodies na nakukuha ng mga bakuna,” Dr. Rontgene Solante said in a public briefing.

(Although their rates are still low in other countries, these six subvariants are being monitored because they have a characteristic that may cause high mutation, high infection, and evade vaccines or the antibodies obtained from vaccines.)

WHO, citing phylogenetic analysis, saidthese subvariants belong to a currently circulating variant of concern (VOC), which is Omicron.

They also show “signals of transmission advantage compared to other circulating VOC lineages and [have] additional amino acid changes that are known or suspected to confer the observed change in epidemiology and fitness advantage as compared to other circulating variants.”

WHO also said that the “Omicron subvariants under monitoring" category was added to give awareness to public health authorities around the globe, which VOC lineages may require prioritized attention and monitoring.

This was also to investigate if these lineages may pose additional threats to the public compared to other circulating viruses.

Currently, the Philippines has detected Omicron subvariants BA.5, BA.4, BA.2.12.1, and BA.2.75.

Solante has been pushing for a variant-specific booster to be given to the general population as it may be more effective against the more transmissible Omicron variant.

“Again, merong indikasyon na puwedeng maiwasan ang mga antibodies na nakuha natin sa bakuna at mas lalo tayong magkakaron ng infection,” he said.

(There is an indication that the antibodies that we receive from vaccines can be evaded and we could get more infections.)

For its part, the Department of Health (DOH) earlier said it is eyeing to purchase these second generation COVID-19 vaccines targeting the old and Omicron variants by the first quarter of 2023. —KBK, GMA News