Dr Lim Chee Han, an infection biologist, said as long as there are no new variants that are more infectious than the Omicron or Delta variants, Malaysians need not worry too much.
“If it’s an Omicron subvariant, there’s not even much to worry about because it’s a virus similar to Omicron.
“If the vaccine efficacy is declining but our immune system is able to recognise it, I don’t think it’s going to be a big concern,” Lim said.
The Omicron sub variants, BA.4 and BA.5, are now predominant worldwide.
“However, the combined data from the United States and the United Kingdom, where the impact is greatest, show that the two Omicron subvariants, while causing an upward trend in cases, have not led to record high cases as they did before with the emergence of new variants of the virus.
Lim said the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had nothing to show that the BA.4 and BA.5 variants increase the risk of post-infection.
However, he said it could lead to a significant increase in cases in European countries in the coming months.
On June 9, confirmed cases of Omicron subvariant BA.5 and BA.2.12.1 were detected in Malaysia.
BA.2.12.1 is now the dominant strain in the US, accounting for 58% of confirmed cases there and spreading faster than Omicron.
Khairy said a total of three cases of the Omicron subvariant have been detected in the country, although its risk factors remain the same.
Read the full article here: https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/386749
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