The latest survey of coronavirus variants confirms the absolute dominance of Omicron. There are no criticalities: the greatest growth for BQ.1.1 (which was already present) but on a vaccinated or immune population does not worry
To the variants Omicron still dominant in Italy, with an estimated prevalence of 100% on 13 December last. The so-called Cerberus rises (see below, ndr).
These are the results of the survey carried out on December 13 by the ISS and the Ministry of Health, together with the regional laboratories and the Bruno Kessler Foundation.
The variants
In the Omicron share, the analysis deals with the subvariants: BA.5 largely dominant with a national prevalence equal to 90,6% (91.5% in the previous survey, dated 8 November), BA.4 continues to decline, with prevalence falling from 1.95% to 0.3% in this survey.
In the family of sub-lineages of BA.5, similarly to what was reported in other countries, there is a significant increase of Cerberus, BQ.1.1, which equals 64,1% (against 30.7% in the previous survey), out of the total of BA.5 samples.
BF.7, always a sublineage of BA.5, represents il 9,6% of the analyzed sequences, decreasing.
Xbb and BA.2.75 (the so-called Centaurus) are also present in our country, but in a smaller number of samples.
Capacity of vaccines
We know that some variants of SARS-CoV-2 undermine the previous ones, especially in terms of transmission capacity (contagion), overcoming some barriers built by vaccines and previous infections. The Cerberus variant would be about seven times more resistant to immune defenses than BA.5 and 175 times more than the original coronavirus (Wuhan strain). Vaccines do not block the spread, but limit it, however, and above all prevent serious disease. The bivalent vaccines present in Italy and administered as a booster are adapted to BA.5 and BA.4. Studies of people who received the bivalent booster reveal that their antibodies better neutralize BQ.1.1 and other new subvariants, unlike the antibodies produced by the original Covid vaccine.
Past peak
No surprises are expected from Omicron
on a population, like ours, widely vaccinated and already largely infected with the coronavirus: all eyes are on China, because experts fear that, with the high circulation of the virus in a country that has little immunity to Covid, totally new variants may emerge capable of circumventing the effectiveness of vaccines on serious disease and slowing down the endemization phase of the virus.
Meanwhile, from the last weekly monitoring of the ISS, it is estimated that the peak of this climb has passed (the peak of para-flu syndromes should also have passed): the incidence is decreasing, reinfections are decreasing and the impact on hospitals contained, with a slight decrease in intensive care employment but a slight increase in that of medical areas.
December 23, 2022 (change December 23, 2022 | 15:27)
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