The World Health Organization is warning that XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible omicron subvariant detected so far.
As we start 2023, many health experts believe watching out for new coronavirus variants will be increasingly important to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the new year.
In the past few years, the post-holiday rise in COVID numbers was typically attributed to large gatherings and the colder weather bringing people indoors. Experts said it remains to be seen how much XBB.1.5 may be contributing to the most recent rise in hospitalizations. Very little is known about this new subvariant, but some preliminary research indicates that it may be more immune evasive and contagious than previous omicron variants.growth advantage" in Europe and the U.S. Northeast, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's COVID-19 technical lead, in a press conference Wednesday. XBB.1.5 had rapidly replaced other circulating variants in those areas, she added.
Researchers are also still studying how well vaccines will hold up against XBB.1.5. They say the updated bivalent booster shot remains the best way to protect yourself.
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