BA.2.86 Variant: A Growing Concern for Breakthrough Infections

The BA.2.86 COVID-19 subvariant, recently detected in several countries, including the U.S., may have a higher ability to cause breakthrough infections in individuals who have previously had the virus or been vaccinated, according to a risk assessment by the CDC. It is unclear if this strain causes more severe illness. The BA.2.86 subvariant has more mutations compared to other strains descended from the Omicron subvariant, raising concerns about its potential to evade existing immunity from vaccines and previous infections. However, the real-world impact of this variant on immunity is still unknown. The World Health Organization has designated BA.2.86 as a "variant under monitoring."