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Showing Original Post only (View all)The worst virus variant just arrived. The pandemic is not over. [View all]
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Jonathan Lemire
@JonLemire
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BA.5 is the worst version of the virus that weve seen.
It takes immune escape, already extensive, to the next level, and, as a function of that, enhanced transmissibility well beyond earlier versions of omicron
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | The worst virus variant just arrived. The pandemic is not over.
The arrival of subvariant BA.5 should be a reminder that the finish line in this race is nowhere to be seen.
6:51 AM · Jul 8, 2022
Jonathan Lemire
@JonLemire
·
Follow
BA.5 is the worst version of the virus that weve seen.
It takes immune escape, already extensive, to the next level, and, as a function of that, enhanced transmissibility well beyond earlier versions of omicron
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | The worst virus variant just arrived. The pandemic is not over.
The arrival of subvariant BA.5 should be a reminder that the finish line in this race is nowhere to be seen.
6:51 AM · Jul 8, 2022
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/07/worst-virus-variant-just-arrived-pandemic-is-not-over/
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https://archive.ph/ygltb
The pandemic is a relentless race against Mother Nature. Waves of infection took millions of lives, and only highly effective vaccines prevented even more deaths. Now, the coronavirus is speeding up once again, mutating, evading immunity and still on the march. The arrival of subvariant BA.5 should be a reminder that the finish line in this race is nowhere to be seen.
Whats BA.5? This is the latest subvariant of omicron, which stormed the planet late last year and caused a huge wave of infection. As of now, BA.5 and a closely related variant, BA.4, account for about 70 percent of all infections in the United States, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in part on modeling. These two newcomers are easing out an earlier variant, BA.2.
The obscure names should not hide the punch of BA.5. Eric Topol, professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, says that BA.5 is the worst version of the virus that weve seen. He adds, It takes immune escape, already extensive, to the next level, and, as a function of that, enhanced transmissibility, well beyond earlier versions of omicron. There has not been a marked increase in hospitalizations and deaths, he reports, because there is so much immunity built up from the winter omicron wave. But there are aspects of this new variant very much worth keeping an eye on as the United States remains stuck at an uncomfortably high plateau of pandemic misery. And the new variants are driving a case surge in Europe.
At the core of the BA.5 difference is its biology. Evolution has given it more fitness, a term that incorporates its ability to transmit, grow and evade immunity; the variant shows marked difference from all prior variants, reports Dr. Topol. One way it does so is by evading the bodys immune system, and BA.4 and BA.5 together are the most immune-evasive variants seen in multiple studies to date.
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Weren't there a number of articles that were made free, so everyone had access to the latest
halobeam
Jul 2022
#28
What it says is Whether BA.5 will lead to more severe disease isn't clear yet
Phoenix61
Jul 2022
#22
It's also a Los Angeles Times straight-news piece today. Not in the opinion section.
Hekate
Jul 2022
#33
it is not just an opinion piece, it is an official WaPo Editorial by their entire board
Celerity
Jul 2022
#38
But an ignorant trumpointee ended mask mandates! So the pandemic's over! /s
Grokenstein
Jul 2022
#31
Exactly! Even as their own friends and family members drop dead. As the great Ron White said
LoisB
Jul 2022
#59
As someone who has had COVID, even though I had been vaccinated, I do NOT want to have any variant!
Ford_Prefect
Jul 2022
#37
The virus will continue to thrive and evolve, aided by the millions of Americans
Pinback
Jul 2022
#41
If every America 100% followed every rule to 100% degree CV19 would still be around and never
uponit7771
Jul 2022
#69
Currently in US the risk of severe COVID for nominal health vaccinated is already minimal. Severe
uponit7771
Jul 2022
#94
I have two family members hospitalized with Covid now + a girl I know is hospitalized with her 5th
liberal_mama
Jul 2022
#46
There have been multiple large studies showing an increased risk for developing diabetes after Covid
liberal_mama
Jul 2022
#48
Quite a few people posting on social media about having Covid 3 or 4 times
womanofthehills
Jul 2022
#53
True, CV19 along with every other virus including aides will be around for trillions of years ...
uponit7771
Jul 2022
#68
But what about long term effects from repeated infections? I don't want to get Covid 3 or 4x a year
liberal_mama
Jul 2022
#86
I know many people who have Long Covid. My husband had Covid in January and he still has lingering
liberal_mama
Jul 2022
#97