"Unraveling the Spread of New COVID Variants EG.5, FL.1.5.1, and BA.2.86"

Health authorities are closely monitoring the spread of three new COVID-19 variants in the United States: EG.5, FL.1.5.1, and BA.2.86. EG.5 is currently the dominant strain, followed by FL.1.5.1. The highly mutated BA.2.86 variant is still relatively rare but has raised concerns due to its numerous mutations. Symptoms for these variants appear to be largely the same as previous strains, and COVID-19 tests are expected to work effectively against them. Vaccine makers anticipate that the upcoming COVID-19 booster shots will be effective against EG.5 and FL.1.5.1, but it remains uncertain if BA.2.86 could impact the effectiveness of the vaccines.