There is yet another subvariant of the omicron strain called BA.4.6. It should be noted that the Greek letters previously used for COVID such as alpha and delta will no longer be used as everything will now be a subvariant of the omicron. Now the subvariants are mutating into more subvariants. It’s getting hard to keep up. The intensity and frequency of the mutations are shocking. Viruses follow the laws of evolution by mutating to avoid the host’s immune system whether they are vaccinated or not. Mutating allows the virus to stay in the host and continue to be transmitted by making itself more contagious.
The silver lining is that the virus is following an evolutionarily sound progression of becoming more contagious but less deadly. It is not in the virus’ best interest if it kills the host. The BA.4.6 will likely cause additional infections even in those who have received all boosters. However, the rate of mutation is certainly concerning as it is conceivable that one or more of the subvariants could become deadly again.
At the time of this blog, October 27, 2022, the most prevalent strain in the United States is currently the BA.5 which accounts for 68% of the new cases while the BA.4 accounts for approximately 12% of new cases per the CDC.
Additionally, there are even more subvariants including BQ.1, BQ.1.1, and BF.7 which currently account for about 5% of new cases in the US. In sum, the omicron variant and its subvariants will continue to mutate. Some will certainly avoid our immune systems and best efforts at vaccine development. For now, they will hopefully remain more of an annoyance than a deadly invader. We must continue to remain vigilant and I will continue to update you as new information emerges.
