THEM TO TITO AND CONFIRMED IT WAS HIM BY SCANNING HIS MICROCHIP. >>> NOW, TO THE CORONAVIRUS A NEW STRAIN CALLED THE STEALTH OMICRON. IT COULD BE HARDER TO DETECT. WHAT DOCTORS ARE SAYING AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE PANDEMIC. >> Reporter: IN TECHNICAL TERMS THIS VARIANT IS BA2, 11 CASES IN CALIFORNIA BUT THE CONCERN IS THAT IT IS EVEN MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN THE ORIGINAL OMICRON.
>> IT SPREAD FROM ABOUT 20% OF THE SEQUENCES IN DECEMBER TO THEN 45%, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY AND NOW IT IS UP TO 65% OF THE CASES IN DENMARK. >> Reporter: UCSF INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT DATA FROM ABROAD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STEALTH OMICRON. >> WE DON'T THINK IT IS CAUSING MORE SEVERE DISEASE FROM THE INITIAL ANALYSIS FROM DENMARK.
AND I AM CONFIDENT OUR CURRENT VACCINES WILL WORK AT PROTECTIONS MOST PEOPLE FROM GETTING INTO THE HOSPITAL. >> Reporter: THIS NEW MUTATION DID NOT COME AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD INCLUDING STANFORD HOUSE INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST. >> I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS THAT THIS VIRUS IS GOING TO DISAPPEAR ANY TIME SOON. >> AS LONG AS THE VIRUS HAS THE ABILITY TO SPREAD IT CARRIES THE POTENTIAL TO MUTATE. DOCTORS FEEL VACCINES ARE THE BEST WAY TO SLOW DOWN THE VIRUS. >> I DO THINK THAT IF WE WERE MORE VACCINATED IT WOULD HELP BUT REMEMBER, IT IS NOT JUST THE U.S. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD GETS ACCESS TO THE VACCINES. >> AS DOCTORS LEARN MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS THE DOCTOR HOPES THERE WILL BE A SHIFT IN THE APPROACH TO THIS PANDEMIC.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE DATA TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE. >> HOW CAN WE PREDICT WHO ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO GET MOST SYMPTOMATIC AND NOT RUN THE RISK OF ENDING UP ON A VENTILATOR. THERE WILL BE MORE AND MORE INFORMATION .
