What We Know About The New COVID-19 Strain: XBB.1.5.
Here’s Some Good News
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Even though XBB.1.5 is spreading quickly, it is not causing any more severe illnesses or hospitalizations than previous strains. In the Northeast, where three-quarters of cases are due to XBB.1.5, hospitals report that there has not been an increase in severe symptoms.
Experts believe the relatively mild nature of the strain is due to robust population immunity, which we have thanks to a combination of vaccinated individuals and previously infected ones. Ultimately, XBB.1.5 does not appear to be making people any sicker than other variants.
It’s also important to note that this recent spike in the variant coincides with the busiest travel time of the year. Much of the world has either just traveled or gathered in groups, so some sort of spike was to be expected.
