The discovery of the new BA.2 Omicron variant has raised concerns that South Africa could see another wave in infections
– but scientists say the subvariant is unlikely to be a ‘gamechanger’ and require additional interventions.
However, Richard Lessells, an infectious diseases physician at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, says the subvariant is unlikely to cause ‘a huge wave of reinfection’ in South Africa., Lessells said that although an increase in infections could be seen, it was unlikely to require additional responses.
This was echoed by Ravi Gupta, professor of clinical microbiology at Cambridge University, who said despite BA.2’s transmission advantage, it doesn’t warrant public health measures over and above what governments have put in place in response to the original Omicron.
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