As COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationwide, a new variant dubbed “Pirola” has experts worried.
Also referred to as BA.2.86, Pirola is a highly mutated variant of the Omicron strain of the coronavirus, which emerged in 2021 and led to a frightful spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths.
The bulletin states that “there is some reason to worry, in that this variant … has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein,” referring to the proteins on the surface of the virus that allow it to enter and infect human cells.
“Such a high number of mutations is notable,” Roberts said. “When we went from XBB.1.5 to EG.5, that was maybe one or two mutations. But these massive shifts, which we also saw from Delta to Omicron, are worrisome.”
“The vaccine is still going to provide you great defense against illness and death,” Long said.
nypost.com/2023/09/01/pirola-variant-of-covid-spreads-fast-has-experts-concerned/