A New COVID Variant Has Made it's Way to the U.S.

There’s a new COVID-19 variant on the loose and it’s officially made it’s way to North America. The NB.1.8.1 was first identified in January 2025 and is linked to a large surge in China. Since then, the virus has been detected in multiple locations across the United States including California, Washington State, Virginia, and New York according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The earliest cases in the U.S. date back to late March and early April, and were detected through a screening program at airports for arriving international travelers.

As of now there aren’t enough cases reported of the variant to be included in the estimate dashboard, which helps monitor and measure the effects of the virus. However, concerns are escalating as hospitalizations surge in China and questions about symptoms become more complicated. The most commonly reported symptoms are similar to previous variants that include cough, sore throat, fever, and fatigue. WHO reports authorities in Hong Kong say there is no evidence that the variant, a descendant of the XDV lineage of the virus, is more severe than previous strains, but data suggest it could spread more easily.

The Food and Drug Administration also known as the FDA said they will continue to improve COVID -19 vaccine updates for seniors and those with an underlying medical conditions like pregnancy or diabetes. This also comes with making sure vaccine makers perform ‘clinical trials’ before approving the new vaccines for public use. Because of this, many Americans may not have access to the updated versions of the vaccines in time. AP also reports the Trump administration is limiting approval for seasonal shots which will further limit who will be able to get one this fall.

With all this information, it is still to soon to tell if there will be a peak this Summer or how severe it will be. Marlene Wolfe, Ph.D, principal investigator at WastewaterSCAN, told TODAY.com the CDC no longer tracks the total number of new cases in the U.S., so wastewater data is an increasingly valuable tool to understand COVID trends.

For now, researchers are asking Americans to practice,

Good cough and sneezing hygiene
Good hand washing
Staying home if you’re not feeling well to keep other people from catching what you’ve got
If you’re a little under the weather, but well enough to be out and about, wear a mask