Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Highly Contagious XBB.1.5 Races To Dominance In Northeast
The New York Times: Health Experts Warily Eye XBB.1.5, The Latest Omicron Subvariant
Three years into the pandemic, the coronavirus continues to impress virologists with its swift evolution. A young version, known as XBB.1.5, has quickly been spreading in the United States over the past few weeks. As of Friday, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that it made up 72 percent of new cases in the Northeast and 27.6 percent of cases across the country. (Zimmer, 1/7)
The Washington Post: New Variant XBB.1.5 Is ‘Most Transmissible’ Yet, Could Fuel Covid Wave
More than 70 percent of cases in the Northeast are believed to be XBB.1.5. While there is no evidence so far that XBB.1.5 is more virulent than its predecessors, a recent swirl of misinformation linking the rise of new variants to vaccination has cast a spotlight on this latest strain and raised concern among some health experts that it could further limit booster uptake. (Nirappil and Weber, 1/9)
CIDRAP: US COVID Markers Rise; XBB.1.5 Keeps Fast Pace
In CDC tracking of infections as of Jan 4, the 7-day average for new daily cases is 67,243, up 16.2% compared to the previous 7-day average. Over the same period, the 7-day average for new hospital admission rose 16.1%, and deaths increased 8.3%. Likewise, test positivity is increasing and is at 16%. (Schnirring, 1/6)
On how an important drug in the fight against covid may not work on the new variant —
San Francisco Chronicle: COVID In California: FDA Warns Crucial Drug May Not Work Against XBB.1.5
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to immunocompromised Americans on Friday that the agency does not anticipate the drug Evusheld will effectively neutralize XBB.1.5, the coronavirus omicron subvariant that is currently estimated to account for 28% of circulating variants in the U.S. (Vaziri, 1/6)
The Hill: AstraZeneca’s Preventative COVID Treatment Likely Not Effective Against XBB.1.5: FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday that AstraZeneca’s preventative monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 is likely ineffective against the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant due to its similarity to other mutations of the virus that are also not neutralized by the treatment. In a statement, the FDA said it “does not anticipate that Evusheld will neutralize XBB.1.5.” (Choi, 1/6)
