BA.2.75 appears to be more transmissible than Omicron BA.2. Understand what it is and how to protect yourself from the Centaur variant
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire planet has had to learn to deal with the threat of the extremely contagious and dangerous coronavirus. Since then, numerous safety measures, vaccines and drugs have been developed to fight the infection. However, one problem continues to challenge the scientific community: virus mutations. And new now is the centaur variant.
Technically referred to as BA.2.75, this sub-variant of the coronavirus has been classified as a “second generation” variant, as it derives from the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant. And this is his biggest problem.
According to an analysis carried out by the Dutch Institute of Public Health (RIVM, its acronym in Dutch), the Centaur variant tends to “escape” more easily the accumulated protection against the coronavirus (vaccines and previous infections) than other mutations. This new mutation is believed to have originated from immunocompromised people who have been infected with Covid-19 for more than two weeks.
In an interview with New Zealand news portal Stuff, virologist Jemma Geoghegan, a professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand, said this type of “second generation” mutation is dangerous for two reasons. One because of the obvious potential to be able to better evade antibodies. And another for, in theory, increasing the virus’s ability to bind to human cells.
Shay Fleishon, a researcher at the Central Laboratory of Virology at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center, said on his Twitter account that the situation is worrying, even if the Centaur variant stops spreading.
What I’m taking from this is that if (and it’s a huge if) BA.2.75 doesn’t surpass BA.5, then a 2nd generation BA.2.12.1 could, as this option is clearly on the table. As in those 3 samples (different patients) from the USA, with 2 NTD and 2 RBD mutationshttps://t.co/uzgj22Cf1Mpic.twitter.com/AHSWGpmvux
– shay fleishon 🧬 (@shay_fleishon) July 19, 2022
“The fact that such a divergent second generation variant is successful among hosts [pessoas infectadas por mais de duas semanas] it is alarming. This means that if BA.2.75 [variante Centauro] it fails, and even if it does, second-generation others may improve over time, “he said.
To date, the Centaur variant has been identified and genetically sequenced in 11 different countries: India, Australia, Japan, Canada, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Israel, Russia and the United Kingdom.
The recommendation to protect against the Centaur variant, for now, is the same as for the other strains of the coronavirus. Maintain social distance, avoid clusters, wear masks, take care of hygiene and take all doses of the vaccine.
Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
