This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, crown-like. NIAID-RML
MANILA - Further studies are needed on the subvariant of omicron, which does not seem to have many differences from its parent lineage, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Monday.
The UK has classified the sublineage as a variant under investigation after it was found in 426 virus patients.
The Philippines' epidemiology bureau is coordinating with the World Health Organization, Duque said.
"Ang estado ng BA.2, itong bago na namang variant but under sa lineage ng omicron BA.1, variant under investigation, 'di pa siya variant of concern," he told reporters.
(This BA.2, a new variant under the lineage of omicron or BA.1, is a variant under investigation. It's not yet a variant of concern.)
"So far, ang limitadong datos nagpapakita hindi naman ito parang naiiba talaga sa omicron variant. Kung meron man, baka mas matulin daw makahawa. Pero pagdating sa 2 aspeto ng pagtugon, bakuna continues to be effective versus severe, critical cases, therefore preventing hospitalization and deaths."
(So far, limited data shows it's not that different from omicron variant. If there's any, it might be faster in transmission. But in terms of our 2 aspects of COVID response, vaccine continues to be effective versus severe, critical cases, therefore preventing hospitalization and deaths.)
The country's vaccine expert panel is also studying the effectivity of a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Duque said.
"Sa ngayon, wala pa hong malinaw na patunay ano ba ang halaga ng second booster or fourth jab. Bukas, ang ating vaccine expert panel ay patuloy ang kanilang pagsusuri," he said.
(For now, there's no clear evidence on the importance of a second booster or fourth jab. Our vaccine expert panel remains open and they continue to look into this.)
The Philippines last week reported its first 2 deaths from omicron among 492 additional cases of the lineage. Nearly 70 percent of the samples in the latest whole genome sequencing was omicron, while 16 percent was composed of delta cases and 1 percent was an alpha case, Duque said.