MINNEAPOLIS — With summer season kicking into gear, there's health concerns, as the new BA.5 variant now poses the biggest threat to immune protection, yet.
"This one is able to transmit better in this environment than it's competitors," said Dr. Frank Rhame, an infectious disease specialist at Allina Health.
Rhame says the BA.5 variant is now the dominant strain in the country.
"What are we seeing in Minnesota and across the country?" asked KARE 11's Charmaine Nero.
"We have not had an overall increase of cases in the state, but in the nation, BA.5 has become more than half of the cases, and Minnesota lags behind a little bit," Rhame said. "In most parts of the world when BA.5 has taken over, there's been an increase in cases, we haven't seen that yet."
Recent wastewater data from June 21 to June 27 shows BA.5 accounts for 43% of the viral load in the state - up 36% from the previous week.
Nationwide, BA.5 accounted for nearly 54% of the country's COVID cases as of Saturday, according to the CDC. Similar with BA.4, making up 17% more.
Rhame says the two Omicron subvariants also appear to evade protection from vaccines and previous infections more easily than most of their predecessors.
"Even in places where there's over 90% of people vaccinated, it does just fine and people who have recent infections it does just fine, and it looks like you can even get a second case of BA.5 within a month of your first case of BA.5, it's quite novel," Rhame said.
"And to some extent BA.4 and BA.5 are the next variants that are dominating in this fifth, sixth wave of the pandemic," said Dr. Greg Poland with Mayo Clinic.
Poland says while the risk for vaccinated people may not necessarily mean dying, it could mean a life altering complication.
"I've got patients with brain fog or fatigue that can no longer work," Poland said. "What's happened is this virus has now mutated."
"How can we turn the corner? Nero asked.
"I wish we could say confidently that we will," Rhame said. "That works for measles and may never work for COVID."
"This will never be eradicated, I want to make that very clear," Poland said. "Our great-great grandchildren as a consequence of the choices we made will be getting COVID vaccines."
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