WHO: Modern Omicron subvariants share common characteristics

Current Omicron subvariants share characteristics like replication to upper respiratory tract and capacity for escaping built-up immunity. There is also significant cross-protection among Omicron subvariants, Report informs referring to the World Health Organization (WHO).

So far, there is no need to change the public health response, that is why they remain part of Omicron.

“Virologists and other scientists are monitoring these variants but the public doesn’t need to distinguish between these Omicron subvariants in order to better understand their risk or the measures they need to take to protect themselves,” the WHO noted.

“A new label, i.e. a new assignment of a variant of concern, would be given if there is a variant sufficiently different in its public health impact, and which would require a change in the public health response.”