A new COVID variant is now spreading and experts are starting to pay attention. It has been given a strange nickname: “Cicada.” There’s a reason why.
The new strain, called BA.3.2, is attracting closer attention. One reason is the many changes in the variant’s spike protein, which make it different from other versions now spreading.
“Perhaps more concerning is the variant’s slew of genetic changes in its spike protein, which set it apart from other variants circulating,” said Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in an interview with TODAY.
The virus that causes COVID-19 keeps changing as it spreads. This is normal and leads to the emergence of new variants over time. Most variants today are very similar to each other, with only minor differences. But according to experts, BA.3.2 is not like the others — it clearly stands out.
