“Stealth” Omicron Now In Texas

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Obviously, omicron won't be the last variant of COVID-19 that we see.

If you thought the omicron variant of COVID-19 was bad, just wait because now there is the "Stealth" version of omicron, also known as the BA.2 variant of omicron. This variant isn't really new, it's been common in Asia and Europe, but it's new to Texas.

How "bad" is the Stealth Omicron? No one knows yet. According to KDFW, the this variant can spread more easily than the original omicron which was able to be spread more quickly than the Delta variant.

"We have some indications that it just may be as contagious or perhaps slightly more contagious than (original) omicron since it's able to compete with it in some areas," Long said. "But we don't necessarily know why that is."

An initial analysis by scientists in Denmark shows no differences in hospitalizations for BA.2 compared with the original omicron. Scientists there are still looking into this version's infectiousness and how well current vaccines work against it. It's also unclear how well treatments will work against it.

On Thursday, UT Southwestern confirmed that two north Texans had the stealth variant. Scientist have also said that the stealth variant is more difficult to find but as cases continue to rise that could change.

While doctors and scientists say they aren't sure if vaccines or boosters are effective against the new variant of omicron, they do say they are the best way to protect yourself and others.

You can find out more information from KDFW.