Since the appearance of the Omicron variant, the numbers of new contaminations have greatly increased. In fact, if it is less virulent than the Delta variant, it is nevertheless much more contagious. Recently, a sub-variant of Omicron, BA2 has appeared, thereby raising new questions. Does the latter risk being even more contagious than its predecessor and in turn becoming dominant in Belgium? This is already the case in countries like Denmark.
Questioned by our colleagues from VTM NEWS, virologist Marc Van Ranst tried to reassure the population. “So far, we have no evidence that this BA2 variant is more pathogenic than the BA1 variant. It is just another variant of Omicron. This is how viruses evolve. They do not stay the same and are constantly evolving. And now another Omicron appears“, he explained.
According to the words of Marc Van Ranst, there would be no reason to panic. “There are quite a few mutations, changes from BA1, it’s probably as much if not more transmissible than BA1, otherwise it wouldn’t be gaining ground. But this new variant has the same reactivity to -vis the vaccine and the same low pathogenicity as the first Omicron (BA1)“.