Can I contract Omicron again just after being infected? Yes, according to a study from Denmark that found it is possible, although rare, to become infected with two different sub-variants of the Omicron coronavirus one after the other.
An infection with the recently discovered BA.2 subtype can occur shortly after an original BA.1 infection, the Danish health institute SSI wrote in a pre-print study published in February and not yet peer-reviewed.
In general, however, it is assumed that this only occurs relatively rarely and mainly in younger, unvaccinated people.
The Danish researchers said they found 47 cases in which the same person first contracted BA.1 and then BA.2 within a period of 20 to 60 days. Most of them experienced only mild symptoms, and none of them had to be hospitalised.
In Denmark, the BA.2 subtype currently accounts for by far the largest share of new coronavirus infections at 88 per cent, according to the study.
While Denmark, Ireland and the UK are among the European countries to largely end restrictions during the pandemic, virologists in some countries fear the Omicron wave could continue longer than initially expected as a result of subtype BA.2.
Vaccinations are believed to continue to have an effect against infection, transmission and severe symptoms with BA.2, although this is reduced compared with earlier variants, according to researchers in Denmark.
