Omicron variant that ‘defeats’ Covid vaccines and immunity threatens to cause a spike in new coronavirus cases
- New strain of Omicron defeats immunity from vaccines and previous infection
- Omicron BA.5 sub-variant spreading fast and likely to drive new wave of cases
- This threatens to increase pressure on hospitals and healthcare with flu rampant
- Authorities recommend getting Covid vaccines and taking avoidance measures
By David Southwell For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 12:25 AEST, 17 June 2022 | Updated: 12:25 AEST, 17 June 2022
A new strain of Omicron is threatening a new wave of Covid infections as hospitals and healthcare supplies buckle under the weight of rampant flu and other respiratory diseases.
The Omicron BA.5 sub-variant, which was identified in April by South African labs, is rapidly overtaking the BA.2 variant, which caused a Covid case spike in March.
The BA.5 strain has a ‘transmission edge’ over BA.2 by being spreading more easily but crucially, it also defeats the immunity built up from vaccines and previous Covid infections.
