The sub-variant Omicron 5 it is the most infectious and its spread, constantly increasing, worries experts. At the same time, however, the severity of the disease due to this sub-variant does not seem to be alarming and hospitalizations due to Covid may not increase that much. The arrival of Omicron 5 brought a increase in cases also in Italywhere over 60 thousand infections are recorded in the latest daily bulletin.
The first studies on the new sub-variant bring out how i symptoms are largely similar to those already seen in the other Omicron mutations, although in some cases they manifest themselves with greater intensity. The risk of a new contagion for those who have already been infected by Omicron, as well as the fact that the coverage given by the vaccines it no longer seems sufficient to protect against infection, especially for those who have received the third dose for more than six months now.
The real fear, however, is linked to the risk that this sub-variant of Omicron is capable of puncture vaccines. The warning is issued by Giorgio Palùpresident of the Italian drug association (Aifa): Omicron 5 “it may have the ability to escape even the fourth dose of the vaccine“. Let’s see what the symptoms of the new variant and what changes compared to the past.
How contagious is Omicron 5 and the risk of reinfection
The virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco he says he is worried by contagiousness of Omicron 5, defined as extreme: “A person infected with BA.5 can infect another 15 or 17“. Furthermore, the risk of reinfection for those who have had other sub-variants of Omicron. The Omicron 5 sub-variant is set to become soon dominant in Italy, probably within a few days.
What will happen in the fall with Omicron
The infectious disease specialist Matteo Bassetti he does not say he is particularly worried about the spread of Omicron 5, but is already looking at the next few months and expects a new increase in cases and hospitalizations in the fall. For this, in his opinion, it is necessary to get vaccinated. In addition, for Bassetti in the autumn the masks.
Omicron 5, what are the symptoms
Omicron Symptoms 5 they are however mild. Pregliasco speaks of an adapted virus that replicates in the upper airways: this means that it develops in the form of cold, headache and in some cases dysentery. But it is less severe than the original Covid strain and the outcomes of the disease are less worrying. In particular the good news is that the virus stops in the trachea and bronchi thus not causing it pneumonia.
The first symptoms are a sore throat and fever, which can be as high as 39. Symptoms are more evident than other Omicron sub-variants and are therefore more easily recognizable. Fever and sore throat are almost inevitable, unlike what happened before. The other good news for the infected is that one becomes negativized first: it may take less than a week to no longer be positive for Omicron 5.
