justaevolvedchimp1784116843

The virus put on a new disguise.

Variant BA.3.2 does not look like the COVID-19 your body remembers. It has up to 75 mutations on its spike protein. That is the exact part of the virus our current vaccines are designed to look for. Because of those changes, your immune system essentially walks right past it.

It first appeared in South Africa. Now it makes up nearly a third of sequenced cases in parts of Europe. It has already been found in the wastewater systems of 25 U.S. states.

It is spreading quickly. But here is the critical detail. There is currently zero evidence that it makes people sicker than previous strains. It is just better at sneaking through the front door.