Public-health experts have warned for months that the COVID-19 virus isn’t gone—and, far from waning, SARS-CoV-2 has mutated yet again into a new variant. Called NB.1.8.1, it’s causing a spike in infections in China. A few cases also recently appeared in the U.S. when people arriving at airports tested positive, according to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization has also designated it as a “variant under monitoring.”
Here’s what to know about the new variant.
Where did NB.1.8.1 come from?
Data from GISAID, a global database of genetic sequences of major disease-causing viruses, show the first known cases of NB.1.8.1 toward the end of April, appearing in travelers from China, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
NB.1.8.1 is now the dominant COVID-19 strain in China, where it is contributing to spikes in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Where is the new COVID-19 variant in the U.S.?
The CDC operates a program at several airports in the U.S. where health officials randomly test travelers who agree to be swabbed. The new variant was picked up by this program beginning in late March. Cases have now been reported in a handful of states, including California, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. So far, only a few cases have been detected in the U.S. so it doesn’t yet register on the CDC’s COVID-19 data tracking site of variants.
Will the latest COVID-19 vaccine protect me?
NB.1.8.1 is still part of the Omicron family, which means that current vaccines and immunity from recent infections should provide some protection against serious disease.
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The new variant is also on drug companies’ radars. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s expert vaccine committee met May 22 to discuss whether or not to update the vaccine for the fall and winter respiratory disease season and heard about data from vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna about experimental vaccines targeting LP.8.1, which currently accounts for more than 70% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. (LP.8.1 is related to NB.1.8.1 and to the strain currently targeted by vaccines, JN.1.) These experimental vaccines appear to provide slightly stronger protection against both variants.
Ultimately, the committee voted to recommend continuing with a JN.1 vaccine—but did not specify whether the updated shot should target LP.8.1.
What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1?
Symptoms are similar to those linked to other COVID-19 strains and include sore throat, fever, cough, and fatigue. So far, based on data from other countries where cases have been reported, the variant does not seem to cause more severe disease—but genetically, it is equipped with changes that allow it be infect cells more efficiently. That means it could spread more easily among people.
How do I protect myself against the new variant?
Vaccination can increase the chances that you avoid severe disease, since the current vaccine still protects against viruses related to NB.1.8.1. That’s especially true for people at higher risk of severe disease, including older people and those with weakened immune systems.
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Getting vaccinated, however, may become harder for other groups. In a series of unusual moves, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the CDC will no longer recommend a yearly shot for healthy children and pregnant women; the FDA recently said it will not recommend it for healthy adults until vaccine makers conduct additional studies to prove its safety and effectiveness in this population.
These changes mean that insurers may no longer cover the shot, and people who want to get vaccinated may have to pay out of pocket.
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