omicron variant

Although reported cases are trending down in Florida, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues to mutate. The latest subvariant, called XBB.1.5, has mutations that make it highly transmissible and somewhat resistant to vaccines and past infection.

The new omicron-targeting booster added 30% to 56% protection against symptomatic infection, depending on how many prior vaccinations someone had, how long ago and their age, the CDC concluded.

Health experts are encouraging people to get the booster to help prevent another holiday surge, but many people have not answered the call.

Step aside, BA.5. The new variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, appear to be among the most adept yet at evading immunity from previous infection and vaccination.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has signed off on updated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that target the original virus and the omicron subvariants.

The new shots from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech target both the original strain of the coronavirus and the omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants that most people are catching now.

The Food and Drug Administration is planning to authorize a new generation of COVID-19 boosters this week that for the first time will target the omicron variant.

The omicron variant has proved adept at finding hosts, often by reinfecting people who recovered from earlier bouts of COVID. But whether omicron triggers long COVID as often and severe as previous variants is a matter of heated study.

Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot that specifically targets the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September.

These undiagnosed infections could be a major factor in the rapid transmission of the omicron variant, the researchers said.