Stealth Omicron: We regret to inform you that we are now discussing subvariants; BA.2 is a fast-spreading variant of Omicron. Here’s what we know.

There’s yet another twist in the pandemic: The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, now has a “subvariant” that seems to spread even more quickly than any other version of the coronavirus to date.

The good news for now is that vaccines still appear to protect against it. But because it’s so transmissible, scientists are racing to figure out what harm it could cause.

The original omicron variant, which scientists call BA.1 or B.1.1.529, was until recently the most transmissible known version of the virus. In many countries, it caused some of the steepest and tallest peaks in new Covid-19 cases.

But we now know that one of its descendants, known as BA.2, can spread faster still, and may soon become the dominant version of the virus.

The subvariant is already circulating in at least 69 countries, including the United States, according to the World Health Organization. “BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1, so we expect to see BA.2 increasing in detection around the world,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical lead for Covid-19 at the WHO, during a press conference on Tuesday.

While it’s not distinct enough to be classified as an entirely new variant with its own Greek name, BA.2 has about 20 mutations that set it apart from its parent BA.1. Annoyingly, it does not contain a mutation that distinguishes omicron from other variants in genetic PCR tests, so it’s harder to tell apart from, say, delta. That’s why some researchers have described BA.2 as “stealth omicron.”

To be clear, routine coronavirus tests can tell when a person is infected with the omicron subvariant. But because of the missing mutation, “you don’t know what you’re looking at, whether it’s BA.1 or BA.2,” or a different variant altogether, said Gregory Poland, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at the Mayo Clinic. As a result, identifying BA.2 infections usually requires more extensive genetic sequencing — and in parts of the world where that’s less common, it may be spreading undetected.

BA.2 is an iteration, not a revolution. It’s no surprise that the coronavirus is continuing to evolve: The more people the virus infects, the greater the chances that it will mutate. And with omicron infections already peaking in many countries, BA.2 might not trigger major new spikes. But some estimates show that it’s more than 1.5 times as transmissible as BA.1, and that could slow down the decline in cases.

The omicron wave might be even slower to recede because countries are also relaxing pandemic restrictions; for example, by allowing gatherings to resume and lifting face mask requirements. The virus isn’t making things easy, and our actions may make things worse.

Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 mutate all the time as they replicate. When a virus acquires enough distinct mutations, it’s categorized as a variant. But if the changes aren’t that drastic, a mutated virus might be described as a subvariant, like BA.2.

Its rise brings another round of frustrating unknowns, but some answers are already starting to emerge.

Denmark experienced one of the earliest BA.2 surges. The subvariant accounted for almost half of all Covid-19 cases in the country by the end of January — even though more than 80 percent of Denmark’s population completed their initial course of Covid-19 vaccines, and more than 60 percent have received a booster so far. Denmark peaked at around 45,000 new cases (measured as a seven-day average) on January 27.

Omicron fueled the recent Covid-19 surge in Denmark in part because it can dodge some of our immune system’s defenses, said Frederik Plesner Lyngse, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen. “One of the reasons why we think omicron took over so fast in Denmark is we actually saw it having strong immune-evasive properties,” he said.

But among the versions of omicron, BA.2 quickly dominated, according to a preprint paper he co-authored that has not yet been peer-reviewed. “When we look at BA.1 compared to BA.2, we really see that BA.2 is intrinsically more transmittable,” Lyngse said.

Another study from the United Kingdom also found that for BA.2, “the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial.”

Vaccines still appear to reduce the spread of BA.2 and cut the rates of severe disease. BA.2 spread most extensively among those who were not vaccinated against Covid-19.

Many countries have already experienced a very sharp increase in cases from omicron, followed by an equally sharp drop. But the higher transmission rate of BA.2 could drag out the omicron wave in some places.

“I think it’s going to be slower and longer to get down to the base level we would have otherwise,” Poland said. “This all but guarantees that the people who are unvaccinated, and haven’t been infected yet, will be.”

There are important mysteries left to solve about BA.2 Scientists are still trying to pick apart the reasons for BA.2’s rapid transmission. They have their suspicions: Many of the mutations in BA.2 are in parts of the virus that the immune system usually likes to target, so changes that disguise those regions may allow the pathogen to escape detection.

However, it’s not clear whether BA.2 is different enough to cause reinfections in people who have been infected with BA.1. In other words, if you were infected with the original omicron variant, scientists don’t know if you can then get the omicron subvariant.

These aren’t easy questions to answer, in part because scientists can’t predict changes to the disease simply by studying changes in the genetic code or the physical structure of the virus.

In variants like delta and omicron, mutations work together, ratcheting up transmission rates beyond what any individual mutation could cause, explained Poland. So variants are more than the sum of their mutations, and scientists have to observe them in the real world to understand how they behave. Learning how the virus spreads and does damage is critical to halting transmission and treating infections.

Another mystery is where BA.2 came from. It may have been around since the beginning of omicron: Some of its earliest known genetic sequences were uploaded to an international database from the Philippines and from South Africa in November 2021. BA.2 may have branched off from BA.1 shortly after omicron began circulating widely.

Omicron itself has no known direct ancestor, though — it’s not a direct descendant of delta or beta, for example — and its genome shows that it comes from a far more remote branch of the SARS-CoV-2 family tree than other variants.

Some scientists theorize that omicron and its subvariants may have had an animal host before jumping into humans. Others think the evidence points to a rare type of mutation event known as recombination, in which an individual is infected with two versions of the virus at the same time, leading the pathogens to swap parts and produce an entirely different variant. It may also be the result of an infection in a person who was not able to fight off the virus quickly, giving it an unusually long time to replicate, mutate, and hone itself against the immune system.

Figuring out how variants keep cropping up could help close off routes for future changes, or at least help scientists learn where to look so they aren’t caught off guard. The rise of BA.2 is yet another reminder of why we need more vigilance against Covid-19, even when cases are declining. Otherwise, the twists will keep coming.

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N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) is a metabolite of the sulfur-containing amino acid, Cysteine. Cysteine is found in high protein foods, N-Acetyl Cysteine is not. N-Acetyl Cysteine is produced within the human body. Cysteine plays a role in the sulfation cycle, acting as a sulfur donor in phase II detoxification and as a methyl donor in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Cysteine also helps synthesize glutathione, one of the body’s most important natural antioxidants and detoxifiers. N-Acetyl-Cysteine is the acetylated form of L-Cysteine.

N-Acetyl Cysteine increases Glutathione Levels
N-Acetyl Cysteine is rapidly metabolized to intracellular glutathione. Glutathione acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Glutathione also detoxifies chemicals into less harmful compounds. N-Acetyl Cysteine also protects the body from acetaminophen toxicity and is used in hospitals for patients with acetaminophen poisoning. It has also been shown to be effective at treating liver failure from other causes as well.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Chelates Heavy Metals
Heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic are detoxified and removed from the body by N-Acetyl Cysteine . It also increases the excretion of zinc and other essential minerals when taken over an extended period. It is therefore necessary to supplement zinc, copper and other trace minerals when taking N-Acetyl Cysteine.

N-Acetyl Cysteine and the Immune System
Glutathione is known to aid in the transport of nutrients to lymphocytes and phagocytes, two major classes of immune cells, and to protect cell membranes. While purified glutathione is available as a dietary supplement, absorption is low, and N-Acetyl Cysteine is thought to be a better method of boosting cellular glutathione levels. N-Acetyl Cysteine is being investigated as a treatment for AIDS.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Breaks up Mucus
N-Acetyl Cysteine cleaves disulfide bonds by converting them to two sulfhydryl groups. This action results in the breakup of mucoproteins in lung mucus, reducing their chain lengths and thinning the mucus, improving conditions such as bronchitis and flu. Double-blind research has found that N-Acetyl Cysteine supplements improved symptoms and prevented recurrences in people with chronic bronchitis. N-Acetyl Cysteine at a dosage of 1,200 mg per day helps to prevent Influenza infection, reduces the symptoms of existing Influenza infection and reduces the duration of Influenza infections.

N-Acetyl Cysteine and Cancer
N-Acetyl CysteineN-Acetyl Cysteine has been shown to reduce the proliferation of certain cells lining the colon and may reduce the risk of colon cancer in people with recurrent polyps in the colon. Its action as an antioxidant and a glutathione precursor may also contribute to a protective effect against cancer.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Cautions
When taking N-acetyl cysteine it is recommended that two to three times as much vitamin C be taken at the same time. Failure to do so may result in more harm than good from taking this product because of the prolonged presence of the oxidized form of L-Cysteine. The vitamin C also helps keep the glutathione that is produced from the Cysteine in its reduced form so that it can continue acting as an antioxidant.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Dosage
Typical dosage recommendations are in the range of 250-1500mg of NAC daily for the majority of therapeutic benefits.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Safety
NAC is considered safe for consumption in its therapeutic dosage ranges. Individual reactions may vary and anyone experiencing adverse symptoms while taking N-Acetyl Cysteine should discontinue it.

Where to Get N-Acetyl Cysteine
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