Jabs effective against BA.4 and BA.5; infections are mild: NTAGI

PUNE: Breakthrough infections from BA.4 and BA.5 - the newer Omicron subvariants that have been detected in Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Maharashtra - all led to mild Covid and are unlikely to cause waves or burden hospitals, central officials have said.

Dr N K Arora, head of the Covid-19 working group at the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), told TOI on Sunday that with newer sub-lineages of Omicron, infections can occur after the first two doses or even after the precaution shot. However, he said patients who've experienced these breakthroughs in states reporting the subvariants only had ordinary "cold and cough symptoms" and didn't need hospitalisation.

Dr Arora said studies indicate vaccination cuts risk of long Covid by nearly 30-40%. He said, "The risk from new variants and sublineages remains and complete immunization will keep the infection mild, minimize possibility of hospitalization, cut burden on the health system".