A Covid expert has spoken about new symptoms associated with the latest strain of the virus, including one that appears at night. The new identifying sign of the BA.5 variant of Omicron was published yesterday said Irish Professor Luke O'Neill.
Covid rates have increased across the country over the past few weeks. The Office for National Statistics has reported that one in 25 people have contracted the virus with statistics showing that in the final week of June, there was an 18 per cent rise compared to the week before, with 2.3 million people having Covid.
Despite the rise, there are no talks of fresh restrictions, but people have been asked to take basic hygiene steps, with hospitals asking visitors to once again wear face coverings.
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Prof O'Neill spoke about the key differences noted in the variant's symptoms. He said: "One extra symptom for BA.5 I saw this morning is night sweats," he said. "The disease is slightly different because the virus has changed. There is some immunity to it, with the T cells and so on, and that mix of your immune system and the virus being slightly different might give rise to a slightly different disease - with strangely enough - night sweats being a feature.”
As the virus continues to mutate and change, Prof O'Neill said there is one key element that is continuing to protect people from the most severe effects, WalesOnline reports.
He said: "Very importantly, if you're vaccinated and you're boosted, it doesn't progress into severe disease. Remember the ones who are getting sickest are unvaccinated or haven't had the booster. Hence the message: get the booster because it will give you this added protection.”
While the available vaccines are still considered our best protection against the virus right now, Prof O’Neill says he believes new ones will be developed ahead of the expected winter surge.
"Both Pfizer and Moderna have said they'll have an Omicron vaccine by September, and they'll have a BA.4/5 by October,” he explained. So when we get to that point, it would make sense to start using those newer ones.
"But... the current one is still giving good protection anyway. Like the flu, you'll change the vaccine based on the variant that's around at the time.”
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