A variant of Covid-19 called XBB.1.5 is rapidly spreading in the United States. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in December 2022, the proportion of new Covid-19 cases caused by this variant increased from 4% to 18% and is expected to continue rising. In certain regions, it makes up more than half of all new cases. The World Health Organization reports that XBB.1.5 is the most easily transmitted form of Omicron to date.
Currently, there is limited information available about the XBB.1.5 variant of Covid-19, as it is a new and emerging variant. However, it is known that this variant is more transmissible than previous versions of the virus. It is not clear if vaccines and treatments currently available will be as effective against this variant, but it is likely that the vaccines will still provide some level of protection.
New tests that specifically target the new variant are being developed. It is possible that hospitals could become overwhelmed again if the spread of the variant continues to increase, but this is dependent on a number of factors, including the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. It is not clear if children should wear masks to school again, but it is always recommended to follow the guidelines and recommendations of public health officials. It is possible that more worrisome variants could emerge in the future, and ongoing monitoring and surveillance are needed to detect and respond to new variants as they arise.
It is important to note that these answers are based on current knowledge, and as more information becomes available about the variant, recommendations and guidelines may change. It is important to stay informed and follow the recommendations of public health officials.
The newly-dominant XBB.1.5 variant of Covid-19 has acquired mutations that make it more contagious. As a more transmissible strain, it has the evolutionary advantage of spreading faster than others, potentially displacing other strains. This trend has been observed throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with new, highly transmissible strains replacing their predecessors.
According to Dr. Leana Wen, this is part of our “new normal” and we should expect to see new Covid variants lead to surges of infections from time to time. However, the good news is that this strain does not appear to cause more severe disease. Like other Omicron descendants, it probably causes milder illness compared with the Delta variants that predated Omicron.
It is important to note that the situation is constantly changing and more information is needed to understand the full extent of the variant’s impact. Public health officials are closely monitoring the situation and providing guidance on how to mitigate the spread of the variant.
5
4.5