Georgia health officials are on alert as a new COVID-19 variant, known as NB.1.8.1, gains traction in various regions worldwide, including parts of the United States.
This emerging variant, which has seen significant spread in China, is primarily reported in countries within the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and western Pacific regions.
U.S. airport screenings have detected the variant in incoming travelers from these areas, with cases reported in states like California, Washington, Virginia, and New York.
States such as Rhode Island, Ohio, and Arizona have also confirmed instances of NB.1.8.1.
Experts warn that the timing of this variant’s emergence could lead to increased risk, particularly as the U.S. has not experienced a significant COVID wave in some time.
Dr. Thomas Russo, chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, expressed concern that the prolonged period without a wave may lower immunity levels amongst the population.
He noted, “It may unfortunately come back with a little bit of vengeance on us.
Let’s hope that doesn’t happen, but I am concerned that we may be setting ourselves up for that with this combination of factors.”
Moreover, vaccination rates among children aged 6-17 in Georgia have decreased slightly over the past year, with only 1.6 percent immunized compared to 1.8 percent previously.
As of May 3, the CDC reported that weekly COVID-19-related deaths in Georgia ranged from 1 to 9, while over 38,000 Georgians have lost their lives to the virus since the pandemic began.
NB.1.8.1 is part of a broader family of subvariants derived from the original omicron variant, first identified in late 2021.
While it has not induced surges like those experienced earlier in the pandemic, some experts caution that its mutations may complicate treatment efforts, despite the current vaccines being effective against it.
The transmissibility of NB.1.8.1 appears to surpass that of the currently dominant strain, LP.8.1, allowing it to potentially exploit waning immunity in the community.
Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, emphasized that while summer surges have historically been uncommon for respiratory viruses, COVID-19 has shown a propensity for resurgence in both summer and winter months.
“As it stands, we don’t yet know if this variant will spur a summer surge, though we do need to remain vigilant,” he stated.
Notably, there is currently no evidence to suggest that NB.1.8.1 results in more severe illness than other circulating COVID-19 variants.
Andrew Pekosz, a virologist from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, remarked, “It’s an important one to track, but it doesn’t show any signs so far of being able to drive a large surge in COVID-19 cases—at least in the U.S.”
As of now, the variant has not yet significantly impacted the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID dashboard, with fewer than 20 sequences of NB.1.8.1 recorded in the United States.
Whether it establishes a foothold and emerges as a dominant variant remains uncertain, according to Dr. Russo.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the U.S. government’s stance on COVID-19 vaccinations is evolving.
Recently, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a decision that has drawn scrutiny from public health experts.
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