BackOmicron sub-variants BA.5.1.7, BF.7 signals to be cautious: Experts
Omicron's new sub-variants BA.5.1.7 and BF.7, with greater transmissibility and fast-spreading speed, are signals to be cautious, experts have said
PremiumThe Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) is likely to issue a bulletin regarding Omicron's new sub-variants BA.5.1.7 and BF.7 ever since the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre detected the first case of the Omicron sub-variant in India. An expert has said that the new sub-variants of Omicron are just a signal to be more cautious.
"It's just a signal to be cautious and watch the whole scenario, BF.7 was reported in Gujarat a few days ago," sources were quoted as saying by PTI. India has reported BF.7, also known as Omicron spawn, in Gujarat. The Omicron sub-variant was first detected in China and has also spread to the United States, UK, Australia, and Belgium.
Sources have also assured that there is nothing to panic and surveillance of the situation is underway. "Nothing to panic, surveillance is going on, important point is that we should look at hospitalisation, deaths, currently. Despite new Omicron sub-lineages, there is no concern. But precautions must be taken to avoid transmission," sources said.
Two highly contagious subvariants of Omicron -- BF.7 and BA.5.1.7 – with greater transmissibility were found in several provinces of China. Both the subvariants are highly infectious with a fast-spreading speed. Li Shujian, deputy director of a Chinese disease prevention and control center, said that two variants are “highly contagious" and can easily evade previous immunity.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also said that Omicron VOC (variant of concern) lineages may require prioritised attention and monitoring.
In view of the widespread transmission of the Omicron VOC, the WHO has added a new category to its variant tracking system, termed "Omicron subvariants under monitoring" to signal to public health authorities globally.
Rajeev Jayadevan, Health Expert and Member Task Force, Covid in Kerala was quoted as saying that "these are immune escape variants".
“Ever since Omicron arrived in November 2021, it has been giving off branches which divide into smaller branches. Of these, BA.2 and BA.5 proved to be stronger than the rest," the health expert said.
"From BA.2 and BA.5, a series of sublineages kept appearing. Each of these had additional mutations which were concentrated on the RBD or receptor binding domain of the spike protein of the virus. This is the part that the virus uses to attach to the human cell," he said, ANI reported.
"This is why they are called immune evasive variants. BA.5.1.7 and BF.7 are names given to downstream descendants of BA.5," Dr Rajeev said. He has also asked people to remain on an alert as “the pandemic is not over yet".
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