A new COVID-19 variant called BA.2.86 has the virus swirling around the nation and is fueling hospitalization numbers. For the first time since the beginning of 2023, there’s been an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Despite the fact the new variant is mild, health experts recommend taking precautions as a fall COVID surge is possible.
“People are more likely to know somebody who might have covid or may have had covid themselves,” said Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent. “But admittedly this is hard to validate because there’s just not as much testing.”
COVID-19 is a virus that knows no limits. First Lady Jill Biden recently tested positive amid the rise in U.S. cases. Still, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Biden states she is staying in her Delaware home, where she’s only experiencing “mild symptoms.”
The CDC recommends that anyone who catches COVID-19 isolate for at least five days, wear a mask until testing negative twice within 48 hours, and keep up to date with vaccinations.
A CDC advisory meeting will be held on Sept. 12 to determine if a booster will be broadly recommended.
