Womp, womp - New BA.2.86 Covid Not a Threat

Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash

The BA.2.86 subvariant of COVID-19, a heavily mutated strain that initially raised global concern (mostly in the media), has proven to be much less threatening than the headlines would lead you to believe, according to recent research. This variant had captured attention due to its 30-plus mutations in its spike protein, akin to the alterations noted in the Omicron variant.

However, a study led by Dr. Dan Barouch, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, indicated the immune response to BA.2.86 was similar, if not superior, to the response to other circulating variants.

Even outdoor maker Bill Hanage had to agree: “My friends, this is not the second coming of Omicron. If it were, it is safe to say we would know by now,” Dr. Bill Hanage