<br /><br />Cases of CoVid are again on the rise, and many of them are driven by the Omicron subvariant labeled EG.5 and known by the nickname Eris. EG.5 is EG.5 is $ descended from the XBB.1.9.2 and has what has been described as a moderate growth advantage over the currently predominating subvariants XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.5. The global prevalence of Eris has doubled over the past month from 8 to 16%, and it is the predominant CoVid variant in the US.<br /><br />As EG.5. has proliferated, it has quickly spawned another subvariant EG.5.1. While EG.5 should be susceptible to the antibodies generated by our current vaccines or natural infections, EG.5.1 contains a unique mutation that offers it moderate protection from these antibodies. EG.5 and EG.5.1 don’t seem to drive more severe or dangerous infections, but they do appear to be more contagious.<br /><br />A second CoVid variant of concern has a label of FL.1.5.1 and is nicknamed Fornax. Related to the XBB subvariants, Fornax has spread rapidly in New York. It should be vulnerable to the Moderna bivalent booster planned for the autumn as this mRNA vaccine codes for both Eris and Fornax antigens.<br /><br />Officials at the CDC feel that the current jump in CoVid infections and hospitalization is due not only to these new subvariants but also to waning community immunity as more than 6 months have elapsed since receipt of the bivalent booster or occurrence of natural infections. They hope that the upcoming fall CoVid boosters based on the XBB.1.5 will offer protection against infection but substantial protections against hospitalization and death from the latest subvariants.<br /><br />One more thing: Just last week another new Omicron subvariant labeled BA.2.86 has popped up driving CoVid infections in the US plus 4 countries., Denmark, S. Africa, Israel, and the UK. Named Pirola, BA.2.86 sports 36 unique mutations compared with the XBB varieties. This subvariant is descended from the Omicron BA.2 that was prevalent last year and was included in the bivalent vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer. Despite that. the CDC fears it could evade the immunity you might have after vaccination or a natural infection. We don’t know yet if this subvariant is more dangerous that previous ones but we suspect that it will spread more rapidly.<br /><br />The take home points: get your CoVid fall booster as soon as it is available. The Moderna booster will be a bivalent one containing XBB.1.5 and FL.1.5.1. The Pfizer offering is monovalent covering XBB.1.5. Also get your flu and RSV jabs, but the current recommendation is not to get them at the same time.<br /><br />#CoVid #eris #eg5 #eg51 #fornax #fl151 #xbb15 #omicron #vaccines
