A new omicron subvariant XBB. 1.5 has been spreading across the country and raising concerns about another potential wave of COVID-19 cases following the holiday travel season.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 40% of U.S. COVID-19 cases are caused by the new strain, up 20% of cases as of December 23. It is especially prevalent in the northeast, where 75% of current COVID-19 cases can be attributed to XBB. 1.5.
Thus far, the new variant shows no signs of leading to higher rates of hospitalization or severe illness compared to other variants.
One of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you from the new variant is by staying up to date with your vaccines and getting the bivalent booster.
More information about the XBB. 1.5 omicron variant can be found here.