Since then, other European nations have reported an increase in infections from these strains, with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warning on 13 June that “the growth advantage reported for BA.4 and BA.5 suggest that these variants will become dominant throughout the EU and EEA, probably resulting in an increase in Covid-19 cases in coming weeks.” Strains to become dominant in EuropeīA.4 and BA.5 were officially designated as variants of concern in the UK on. Preliminary data gathered by Professor Kei Sato of the University of Tokyo indicates that the variants pose a “potentially greater” risk to global populations than Omicron, reported the paper. The mutations mean that the strains might be able to “sidestep antibodies from past infections or vaccination and therefore overcome immunity”. It means that they have “more in common with the earlier, more dangerous Alpha and Delta variants than the highly transmissible but milder Omicron, which targeted upper respiratory tract tissue”, the paper explained.
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The strains both have “three mutations to their spike proteins” which “enable them to retrain their attack on human lung cells”, said The Independent.
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“It is most concerning to see that there has been an increase in Covid infections in older age groups and in the 50-59 age group who have not been offered another booster yet,” he added. Speaking at an Independent Sage meeting on 17 June, Kit Yates, senior lecturer, department of mathematics, University of Bath, said that the UK had entered “the next wave of Covid”. Did Sweden’s Covid-19 experiment pay off?.The outlook for China’s zero-Covid strategy.