"The number of mutations from JN.1 viruses makes it less likely that the current vaccines will be highly effective against Cicada, but we need more data to better answer this question."
"It is possible we will see Cicada become the dominant strain in the U.S., but that is by no means certain. I have heard some concern raised about the possibility that it could drive a U.S. summer surge."
"The CDC warned that new variants with substantial capacity to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccines could be associated with seasonal increases in COVID-19 activity."
"According to the World Health Organization, current COVID vaccines are expected to continue protecting against severe disease."
The BA.3.2 variant, nicknamed the 'cicada' variant, was first detected in South Africa in November 2024 and has spread to 23 countries. It has been found in wastewater samples across multiple states, including Massachusetts. Early studies indicate that BA.3.2 may evade antibodies from the 2025-2026 vaccines, which target the JN.1 strains. Experts express concern that this variant could become dominant in the U.S. and potentially lead to a summer surge in COVID-19 cases, although current vaccines are still expected to protect against severe disease.
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]