Expert Says New Omicron Sub Variant: 'Immunity Wanes and BA.2.12.1 is Evasive!'

‘Don’t think you’re immune if you had COVID this winter. Immunity wanes and #Ba2121 is evasive!’, said Epidemiologist Eric Fang

Omicron new subvariant BA.2.12.1, responsible for about one-fourth of Covid-19 cases in the United States, shows that the virus is not showing any signs of decline. BA.2.12.1 has also been detected in Australia and New Zealand.

Epidemiologist Eric Fang warned people that they should not think that they are immune if they had COVID this winter. He added, immunity wanes and new variant BA.2.12.1 is evasive.

What the epidemiologist said on Omicron BA.2.12.1

“Small reminder that the newest fastest surging variant #BA2121 is known to be partly resistant to neutralization from someone who was previously #BA1 Omicron infected (Dec-Jan). Don’t think you’re immune if you had COVID this winter. Immunity wanes and #Ba2121 is evasive!," Eric Fang said in a tweet.

“VARIANTS SOARING—#BA2 and its subvariant #BA2121 is now 98.4%; Notably, the more super infectious BA.2.12.1 has risen now 36.5%. ➡️Notably, new study says previous #BA1 Omicron infection **does not to protect you fully** from #Ba2121. Don’t risk infection," he said in another tweet.

Omicron is a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that was first discovered in Botswana on November 11 2021 and designated a variant of concern by the WHO on November 26. 

Omicron has multiple different lineages including the original Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) and also BA.2 and BA.3.

BA.2 is more infectious than BA.1 and has now taken over BA.1 to become the new dominant form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide.

BA.2 shares many of these same mutations as the original Omicron variant, but also has 28 unique genetic changes of its own. Four of these genetic changes are in the spike protein, which explains why some of its characteristics are different to the original Omicron variant (BA.1), including the fact it appears to be approximately 30 to 50% more infectious than BA.1.

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