Dr Norman Swan shuts down suggestion new Omicron sub-variant is strain’s ‘son’

Reports a sub-variant of Omicron is the original strain’s “son” were shut down by ABC commentator Dr Norman Swan on Tuesday.

Suggestions a new “stealth” sub-variant of Omicron was to be regarded the “Son of Omicron” have been shut down by health expert Dr Norman Swan.

The ABC commentator said on Monday the sub-variant was “not the son at all”, and would be more accurately likened to the strain’s sister.

He explained in a TikTok how Omicron began with a “mother virus” that gave birth to three “baby viruses” BA. 1, BA. 2, and BA.3.

“BA. 1 was the one that took over the world in late November, early December, and BA. 2 is the second baby, the birth happened around about the same time.

He said it had yet to be determined if BA. 2, popularly dubbed Omicron’s son, was more or less contagious than BA. 1, and early data had shown it was unlikely to be more dangerous.

“It’s not something to get panicked about. It’s not a new variant, it’s just the middle child.,” he told viewers.

Dr Norman Swan has shut down suggestions a sub-variant is the ‘Son of Omicron’. Picture: TikTok/normanswan

Speaking with ABC News on Monday, Dr Swan said presumptions BA. 2 and BA. 3 had spawned from BA. 1 were incorrect, and tracing had actually found they emerged at a similar time.

“Like any middle child it’s starting to assert itself … it doesn’t look like something we need to worry about,” he said.

Early research had indicated that people who contracted the original Omicron would be protected from subsequent sub-variants, Dr Swan added.

He also squashed a common belief the Omicron variant was a mild virus, likening it to the original Wuhan strain that swept the globe in the early phases of the pandemic.

“The reason it feels more mild is that we’re benefiting from the huge vaccination rates, but we’re also suffering from slow booster uptake,” he said.

“People who are vaccinated who are dying – there is a percentage of those who have died who have not had their booster in time.”

@normanswan Son of Omicron. #omicron♬ original sound - drnormanswan

The BA. 2 sub-variant has been detected in a “handful” of Covid cases in Victoria, the state’s Covid commander Jeroen Weimar confirmed.

There are three cases in NSW and one case in Queensland, state authorities told news.com.au.

An ACT health spokesperson said the state had also seen a “small number of cases” of sub-variant BA. 2, but the predominant type circulating in the community was still Omicron BA.1.

Meanwhile, the Northern Territory has recorded one case of BA. 2, a NT Health spokesperson confirmed.

The BA. 2 case load has yet to be revealed for the rest of the country.

The sub-variant has been detected in more than 40 countries, though it is most prevalent in Europe.

It now accounts for almost half of all Covid cases in Denmark for example, where it has overtaken the original Omicron variant.

Melbourne University clinical epidemiologist Nancy Baxter told Todaylast week that BA. 2 might be more contagious than Omicron.

“So if it gets here, it may extend our waves, so our wave may take longer to get out of. But we don’t know enough yet,” she said.

On Friday, a Department of Health spokeswoman confirmed the sub-variant had been detected in Australia.

“Most states and territories in Australia have detected a very low number of the Omicron sub-variant BA. 2 in respiratory samples submitted for testing,” she told news.com.au in a statement.

“The early detection of BA. 2 in Australia is a testament to the success of Australia’s genomic sequencing strategy.

“As with all variants, this will continue to be closely monitored.”