The new BA.5 subvariant of COVID-19 has been reported to be the most virulent seen since the pandemic began. Dr. Sampson Davis, an emergency medicine physician, joined Cheddar News to talk about the most recent surge in this latest version of the disease and what it means for the 30 percent of Americans who remain unvaccinated. "Those who have not been vaccinated, if you have not been vaccinated, yes, this has become — this does become a concern because you are at risk of death," he said.

Cheddar's News Wrap

 New COVID Subvariant Still Cause for Concern for the Unvaccinated

maybe you have noticed that people are catching covid again I certainly have even when they have had it before including my co anchor ken buffa. It's because the new american sub variant is out there infecting and re infecting people who have been vaccinated and even boosted. This is what dr Anthony Fauci had to say about this recent spike variants will continue to emerge if the virus circulates globally and in this country we should not let it disrupt our lives but we cannot deny that it is a reality that we need to deal with. Joining me now is Dr Sampson Davis. Emergency medicine physician Dr Davis Welcome back to the show. The C. D. C. Estimates that this newbie a five sub variant is now responsible for 65% of all new cases. How can it re infect people even those who have had the american variant? Yeah I mean that's a great question. And so this is a variant. This is a mutated strand and this is what the virus has done and will continuously do is the B. A. Five today. It will be be a six tomorrow. So basically the virus mutates. It changes its protein shell outer layer to disguise the body to the human mind the human body so that it can infect the body and causes the coronavirus. The good news here is that if you've been vaccinated, if you have a booster you have some protection but this is what we expect to happen and so I agree with dr Fauci. We should continuously just live our lives at the same time. Do know that this virus is aggressively progressing is trying to find ways to attack the body is trying to find back doors, side doors, front doors, Ways to sort of come inside your body and in order to cause effectivity and and this is what the virus has done and will continuously do. How concerned are you about this recent spike Dr. Davis and how severe is this illness called caused by B. A. 5? Yeah, I mean I'm concerned because I think at the same time this does cause illness and it does cause death, right? But for those who have been vaccinated for those who are protective who have some sense of uh um you know uh strength in their in their body. They don't have sort of uh illnesses. They they have less concerned. We worry about those who are you know compromise those who are elderly, those who have cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, Those who have not been vaccinated if you have not been vaccinated. Yes, this has become this does become a concern because you are at risk of debt. But at the same time this virus will continuously do this until we reach herd immunity which at this point I don't think will ever occur just because of how far ahead the viruses but at the same time the mutations will continuously occur and we will see this happen again in the fall in the winter next year. In the spring, this virus will continuously mutate and cause sort of its presence within our Communities over 30% of Americans are still unvaccinated. How much of a risk does this variant cost to them? I mean this it that is of a concern because 30% of people that are unvaccinated means that this variant is as strong as the original coronavirus original covid. This is the presence of what covid is 2022. Like this is what it was Back in 2019 when this virus first appeared on the radar. So at the same time, you have to understand like you were fighting an enemy here. The virus is constantly saying, how can I sort of configure myself? How can I change my mechanism so that I can fool the body and enter the body and cause havoc. So vaccines and this sort of antibodies that prevent that from happening. But for those who have never been vaccinated and you are at risk and that's why we're seeing this. Even those who have been vaccinated, we're seeing that the virus is causing infectivity, meaning that you can have the virus again and again and again because it's changing the way that it looks to the body so that it's infected. The good news is that the vaccine and the boosters does provide a sense of protection even though the virus have changed the FDA recently approved an update to the coronavirus vaccine that will be distributed this fall. Will that also handle this new variant that we're seeing. I mean it will it will. So but we have to keep in mind that the boosters and the vaccine trials behind the mutation. So we see today's b. A. five we're in the lab, the scientists and the bench researchers are in the lab developing a new booster. Right? So the booster is ready to go by the time that is released and approved by the FDA, the virus has mutated again. Now. With that said there does there is some protection that's offered. It's not as strong as say 100% but 70 and 80% is way better than 0%. So it does offer some protection. But the goal here is to have everyone vaccinated everyone protected so that this virus becomes as simple as a common cold. or a simple viral infection. That is the ultimate goal here. Dr Davis. Should people take precautions like masking up again. And of course social distancing if you're not vaccinated and if you have immune compromised conditions that unfortunately you have a cancer and unfortunately you have a severe heart disease or if you have diabetes or or or high blood pressure um if you have symptoms that are concerning we have to take multiple medications. I would I would wear my mask. I would practice social distancing because as as the saying always go prevention is the best step towards any situation happened. So all preventive measures will always uh air towards the side of caution and towards the side of victory and preventing any sort of illness and unpreventable deaths. Dr Sampson, Davis, emergency medicine physician. We always appreciate your time, sir. Thank you for coming on.