Scientists are reacting to the sudden increase in new COVID-19 variants as it demonstrates a remarkable capacity to evade the protection provided by vaccination.
The new omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, which appear to have milder symptoms than the alpha and delta, are still a source of concern for countries like the US, where infections are still rising.
The BA.5 now accounts for 65 per cent of cases in the United States, and the BA.4 accounts for another 16 per cent.
A medical school professor from the University of East Anglia [[UEA]] Paul Hunter, claims that the BA.5 is also the dominant strain of coronavirus worldwide.
"It was first described in South Africa, whether it came from South Africa or somewhere else in Africa is, I don't think we're sure. It also appeared with another one called BA.4. So both of these variants have been spreading and pretty much they've spread globally and I think BA.5 is now the dominant variant across, certainly most, if not all of the European countries."
The variants have also recently increased hospital admissions and deaths in different states and localities in the US, prompting the authorities to reconsider their responses.
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