Fast-spreading Omicron Sub-variant Raises Concerns

An Omicron sub-variant of the COVID-19 virus is spreading fast in many parts of the world and raising concerns for experts.

新冠病毒的一種Omicron亞變異株正在世界許多地區快速傳播，引發專家擔憂。

In the northeastern states, including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, BA.2 has made up more than half of the cases.

在包括紐約、紐澤西和麻薩諸塞在內的東北部各州，BA.2已占病例總數的一半以上。

In Britain, the Office for National Statistics also reported that cases of BA.2 infection had outnumbered other versions by early March.

在英國，國家統計局也報告指出，到3月初，BA.2感染病例已超過其他變異株。

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the U.S. government's top infectious disease expert.

安東尼·佛奇博士是美國政府的首席傳染病專家。

He told ABC's This Week program that the U.S. would likely see an increase of infections like Britain.

他在美國廣播公司的《本週》節目中表示，美國很可能會像英國一樣出現感染人數上升。

They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking.”

他們放寬了一些限制，例如室內戴口罩的規定。」

Additionally, immunity from vaccines and past infections was also decreasing.

此外，來自疫苗和過去感染的免疫力也在下降。

Dr. Eric Topol is head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.

艾瑞克·托波爾博士是斯克里普斯研究所轉譯研究所的負責人。

He told the Associated Press, “It's inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here.”

他對美聯社說：「我們這裡必然會出現一波BA.2疫情。」

And an early study in Qatar also suggests that vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will work against both Omicron sub-variants.

卡達的一項早期研究也顯示，輝瑞-BNT和莫德納的疫苗對這兩種Omicron亞變異株都有效。

The results suggest that the level of protection against BA.2 is about the same as for BA.1.

結果顯示，針對BA.2的保護程度與BA.1大致相同。

I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.

我是馬里奧·里特。