Atlanta, May 23 (Reporter) A newly emerging COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, is rapidly gaining ground across Asia and has now made its way into the United States — prompting scientists and health officials to reassess their vaccine playbook ahead of the coming winter season. The variant, a descendant of the JN.1 lineage, has triggered a sharp spike in cases in China and is now showing up in passengers arriving at American airports, including those in California, Washington, Virginia and the New York area. Sequencing data from the CDC’s airport screening programme, in partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, reveals that infected travellers came from a wide range of countries — including Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, France, the Netherlands and Taiwan. Though still relatively new, NB.1.8.1 has swiftly become the dominant strain in China and is spreading through Asia. Hong Kong health officials say COVID-related A&E visits have surged to their highest levels in over a year, while Taiwan has also reported rising hospitalisations and deaths. In response, authorities in both regions are reinstating measures like mask-wearing and building up stockpiles of vaccines and antiviral treatments, according to CBS News. So far, there is no sign that NB.1.8.1 causes more severe illness than previous strains. But what it lacks in evasiveness, it may make up for in speed. Early research from China suggests the variant binds more effectively to human cells, which could make it more contagious than its predecessors. “Although one can’t predict evolution, the overwhelming odds are that what dominates in the next few months will come from something already circulating,” said Jerry Weir, head of the FDA’s viral products division. The variant has also become a focal point for US health regulators, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers which strain to target with this year’s updated COVID vaccines. At a recent advisory meeting, independent experts unanimously backed updating the jabs to target a member of the JN.1 family — the same lineage as NB.1.8.1 — though opinions varied on exactly which subvariant should be chosen, reports The Guardian. Moderna and Pfizer presented early findings suggesting that a vaccine targeting LP.8.1, another JN.1 offshoot, would also offer protection against NB.1.8.1. “The LP.8.1 vaccine has the highest titers against LP.8.1, which is dominant in the U.S. and many other regions and cross-neutralises other currently circulating variants, including NB.1.8.1,” said Darin Edwards, Moderna’s COVID-19 programme lead. The NB.1.8.1 variant is part of the JN.1 family, a descendant of Omicron, which has dominated global COVID trends since late 2023. Although most Americans now have some level of immunity — either from vaccination, infection, or both — that protection fades over time. Health authorities globally are grappling with how to balance vaccine updates with practical policy, as the virus settles into a more seasonal, but still dangerous, pattern. At the same time, the US is shifting its wider vaccine policy. Under a new framework, boosters will be prioritised for over-65s and high-risk individuals, with younger, healthier groups required to wait for further clinical trial data. The change comes amid ongoing leadership reshuffles at the FDA and reflects a more cautious, long-term approach. Back on the ground, COVID cases in the US remain at relatively low levels — tracked through hospital data and wastewater testing. But the virus continues to claim lives, particularly among the elderly and the very young. Since October, between 30,000 and 50,000 Americans are estimated to have died from COVID-19, with as many as 430,000 hospitalised. According to CDC virologist Natalie Thornburg, while the virus has shown fewer dramatic shifts in recent months, its future trajectory remains uncertain. “We are seeing very distinct patterns now — a kind of seasonality is emerging,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean the virus won’t surprise us again.” Nearly five years into the pandemic, NB.1.8.1 is a reminder that COVID-19 is far from done evolving — and that global health systems must continue to adapt, even as many countries have scaled back health measures. As vaccine updates and public health strategies evolve on both sides of the Atlantic, the world is once again watching closely, and focusing on preventive measures across all sectors. While immunity level of the global population is higher than ever — thanks to widespread past infection and vaccination — experts warn that updated vaccines will still play a vital role in controlling the disease as new variants appear, serving as a dark reminder that the battle against COVID is ongoing...////...