A new COVID-19 variant sweeping through China has yet to make a sizable footprint in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.
In January, a new COVID-19 variant known as NB.1.8.1 was first detected in China. On May 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified NB.1.8.1 as a variant that public health officials “may require prioritized attention and monitoring.” As of mid-May, the variant had reached 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to WHO.
As of Tuesday, May 27, less than 20 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been reported in the U.S., a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY. This figure is too low to be added to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker dashboard, the spokesperson added, though they did not clarify what the threshold for adding new variants to the dashboard is.
Here’s what to know about the COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 variant.
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What is the NB.1.8.1 variant?
NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a “slightly upgraded version” of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, said Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. For comparison, LP.8.1 made up 70% of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between April 26 and May 10, as reported by the CDC.
Verma said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1.
“NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring,” Verma said.
What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1?
The CDC has not outlined symptoms that are specific to the NB.1.8.1. variant. Verma said that NB.1.8.1 symptoms appear similar to those of earlier COVID-19 variants.
The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms:
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Congestion or a runny nose
New loss of taste or smell
The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
Inability to wake or stay awake
Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue
Nursing student Jessica Lam, right, administers a COVID-19 test inside Milford High School in Milford, Massachusetts on Dec. 18, 2020.
How many NB.1.8.1 cases have been reported in the US?
Less than 20 NB.1.81. cases had been reported in the U.S., as of May 27, a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY.
How many NB.1.8.1 cases have been reported globally?
According to the World Health Organization, as of May 18, 518 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) from 22 countries.
How can you protect yourself from NB.1.8.1 and other variants?
The World Health Organization states that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant.
In a webpage dated Jan. 7, 2025, the CDC advises that everyone over the age of six months get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the 2024-2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
It also suggests people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are age 65 and older, are immunocompromised, live at a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, and/or want to avoid getting long COVID, should get the vaccine, especially.
However, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently recommended changes to COVID vaccinations.
On May 27, Kennedy said the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. And on May 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it plans to require new clinical trials for approval of the annual COVID-19 boosters for healthy individuals under the age of 65.
This could mean that some who still wish to receive the vaccine may have to pay out of pocket.
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Sean Bagley, 14, receives the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster vaccine targeting BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub variants at Skippack Pharmacy in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 8, 2022.
What is a COVID-19 booster shot?
Updated and annual COVID-19 vaccines are actually not “booster shots.” Boosters are additional doses of the same vaccine that are needed to maintain immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Updated vaccines protect against new variants of a virus, like NB.1.8.1.
How to (still) get a COVID-19 test for free
Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT), a federal program, continues to provide free COVID-19 testing to individuals without health insurance.
According to the CDC, as of May 27, more than 19,000 locations across the country offer free testing. To find a location near you that offers free testing, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov/Search.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add new information.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NB.1.8.1: What to know about the new COVID variant
