Posted ,
Reading 1 min.
The sixth wave, or the epidemic rebound of recent weeks has passed, in France. But is the Covid-19 epidemic over? It does not appear, given the latest variants discovered in South Africa and Botswana. But nothing to worry about, reminds Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
After the sub-variants of Omicron baptized BA.1 and BA.2, scientists are now updating new sub-variants of the virus: BA.4 and BA.5.
A normal evolution of the virus
Several recombinations of viruses have been known for several weeks. There is the XD or Deltacron variant, which is the combination between the Delta variants and Omicron.
There is also the XE, recombinant between the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-variants and described as being more contagious than the strains that compose it.
Two new sub-variants
The list of sub-variants is also growing and it is now necessary to reckon with BA.4 and BA.5. These two sub-variants of Omicron have been detected in South Africa and Botswana, but also in Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Puerto Rico.
But surprise: the BA.4 sub-variant is described as being a recombinant of Omicron and Omicron! BA.4 would in fact come from an alloy between the BA.1 and BA.3 sub-variants.
Consult a GP online
Nothing to worry about
If these new variants tend to get a lot of ink flowing each time, they shouldn’t”actually not make the front page of the newspapers” reassures Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
“It must be remembered that this simply represents the natural evolution of the virus, that it is part of its life cycle and this kind of discovery must remain in the field of virological surveillance. concludes the doctor.