A new COVID-19 variant has been detected in the U.S. and could result in an increase in infections this summer, according to health officials.
NB.1.8.1. has been reported in several states, including California, Rhode Island, and Virginia. The variant was first seen in China in January and has since made up 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to the World Health Organization.
New variant does not pose a public health risk
Endeavor Health noted in an email, “This variant is thought to be more contagious, but not more severe than previous variants.”
They also said the new strain could be more transmissible because it is new, therefore, unfamiliar to the immune system.
Health secretary changes CDC COVID-19 vaccine recommendations
This new variant touches down in the U.S. just as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on X that healthy children and pregnant women are no longer recommended for routine COVID-19 vaccines under new CDC protocol.
According to Endeavor Health, the new guideline is contrary to “previous evidence-based recommendations published by the CDC in 2024.”
They recommend people consult with their care provider about what potential benefits vaccination might have for them, to allow them to make an informed choice about which course to take.
“Vaccinations train the immune system to fight off the virus faster when you become exposed or infected. Newborns receive protection from antibodies passed from the mother during pregnancy and from vaccination after those antibodies wane, after 6 months of age,” Endeavor Health stated in the email.
Residents with concerns about the new strain are encouraged to speak with their care provider.
“Those who have had yearly updated COVID vaccinations are at lower risk of ending up sick with the virus in the emergency room or hospital,” Endeavor Health stated.
In Illinois, COVID-19 infections are currently low and are expected to decline according to the CDC. However, in states like Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina, they are expected to increase.
The WHO states that the new variant is not currently a public health risk, but it is continuing to monitor it as it develops.
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