The proportion of the variant strain “omicron” BA.2 is currently about eight percent in Russia. This was told by the head of the scientific group of genetic engineering and biotechnology of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Cherkashina.
According to her, BA.2 is present in our country in various regions, and there is an increase in the share of such samples, TASS reports. Cherkashina noted that this variant is successfully detected by various test systems for PCR diagnostics of coronavirus.
Earlier, Deputy Director for Research at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Gorelov said that the subspecies of the Omicron strain, called BA.2, is more contagious, but does not cause severe forms of COVID-19. He noted that in some countries the incidence of coronavirus infection has begun to rise again. And this is due precisely to the predominance of subspecies BA.2. Even those who had COVID-19 not so long ago are getting sick again.