The BA.2.12.1 COVID-19 Variant and Disney World: What You Need to Know

To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that may impact a Disney Parks visit.

We’ve seen several variants of COVID-19 since the pandemic first started in 2020, with the most recent ones being the submicron of the Omicron variant. With each new variant comes concerns about the potential for infection and how the updates could affect travel plans.

BA.2 has been the focus for healthcare experts recently, and as a highly contagious variant of Omicron, we have seen it become increasingly present in wastewater near Disney World. But now a new variant has taken the spotlight. Here’s what you need to know about the symptoms and how the BA.2.12.1 could impact your upcoming Disney vacation.

What Is The New COVID-19 Variant?

Although the BA.2 omicron subvariant is still the most prevalent in the United States, NBC Boston has reported that the BA.2.12.1 has been “gaining momentum” recently. This new omicron subvariant is thought to be “27% more contagious than BA.2,” and it is currently “responsible for approximately 36.5% of cases nationwide.” This is up from 26% last week and 16% during the second week in April, according to US News.

According to News 18, this variant could become the dominant form of COVID-19 within the US within the next couple of weeks. They reported that “New York has increased in new cases, though they remain far below the horrific numbers seen earlier in the pandemic.”

The BA.2.12.1 is more contagious than the BA.2, but does that mean it is more severe? Apparently not: Experts are currently saying that this variant does not cause more severe disease than BA.2. The CDC’s director has confirmed that health officials are focusing on BA.2.12.1 as well as BA.2 right now.

The director said, “We are not anticipating more severe disease from some of these subvariants, but we are actively studying it” (News 18). According to recent CDC statistics, deaths from COVID-19 and its sub-variants have decreased by 17% in the last 2 weeks.

What Are the Symptoms?

The symptoms for the BA.2.12.1 look very similar to the previous COVID-19 variants. Here are some to look out for:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Some people may experience these symptoms more severely than others. And – as was the case with other COVID-19 variants – many people may be infected with BA.2.12.1 without experiencing any symptoms at all. NBC stated that those who have been vaccinated and boosted will experience cold-like symptoms regardless of the variant. They also reported that “Experts generally agree that the public should not worry too much about the emergence of each omicron subvariant. “

David Montefiori (professor at the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke University Medical Center) stated, “At some point, you just can’t get nervous every time there’s a new variant, because there’s always going to be a new variant. We’ve been through multiple waves of variants that really mattered a lot, but We may be coming out because there is so much immunity built up in the population“(NBC).

General policies such as being vaccinated and boosted, getting tested if you experience symptoms, wear a face when needed, and practicing social distancing where necessary can apply to all variants.

How Could It Affect My Trip to Disney World?

Although the highest rate of infection of BA.2.12.1 is currently being seen in the northeastern United States, This variant is becoming increasingly present in Florida as well. The Palm Beach Post reported that “state health officials are suspending the increase in new cases since late February, but hospitalizations remain lower than before the omicron variant engulfed Florida.”

The State Health Department also reported “an average of 29,715 new infections each week since April 22nd,” which is “the biggest jump since Feb. 25th.“An epidemiologist in Florida has said,” In terms of severity, it doesn’t seem like we’re experiencing what we did with delta or omicron, “though” it is too early to make any predictions “(Palm Beach Post).

The CDC recommended that people wear masks on public transit in the Miami-Date, Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties in Florida, where new suburban poses a “medium” risk to health care systems.

One expert stated that, although the Florida health care system has not seen an increase in COVID admissions or hospitalizations recently, Recent changes to mask mandates in theme parks and public transit could lead to more hospitalizations in the coming weeksGeneral Chat Chat Lounge

If the cases of the new BA.2.12.1 variant continue to rise and pose a threat to public health, Disney World could revive its face masks in the parksGeneral Chat Chat Lounge It’s unlikely the parks will be close again (the way they did in 2020), but we may see a return to face masks to transportation and / or other indoor areas. As of writing, Disney has not made any announcements about mask mandates or other health & safety policies.

Remember that currently, face masks are not required anywhere in Disney World Except at First Aid locations. The most recent change to that policy was this past April when requirements for face masks on transportation (like the Monorail and Disney buses) were removed.

We’ll keep an eye out for any updates from Disney World and you know the changes. Stay tuned with DFB for all the latest information that could affect your upcoming Disney trip.

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