New contagious COVID-19 variant now circulating in CA, health experts warn: Here's what to know

COVID numbers person been debased successful 2025 truthful far, but that could alteration successful the coming months.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Scientists astatine Stanford person detected a caller COVID variant that experts accidental is already evident successful wastewater samples successful California, adjacent arsenic entree to vaccines is restricted.

COVID-19 is inactive evolving and scientists are keeping adjacent tabs connected NB.1.8.1, a substrain detected successful China past month, and present is circulating successful the Bay Area.

"It's been reported successful Europe and it's been reported present successful the U.S. and we've seen it present successful our wastewater successful California, successful wastewater, truthful it's around," said Dr. John Swartzberg, a UC Berkeley adept successful infectious diseases and vaccinology.

Experts accidental the bully quality is this strain does not look to beryllium much virulent, but it looks similar it is much contagious.

"It appears to beryllium capable to connect to the receptor sites connected our cells much avidly, with greater quality which whitethorn mean it's much transmissible which would not beryllium bully news," Dr. Swartzberg said.

COVID numbers person been debased successful 2025 truthful far, but that could alteration successful the coming months.

"Come the autumn and adjacent winter, respiratory play if you will, that we volition spot a resurgence, much radical getting infected with the circulating variant, much radical hospitalized and much radical dying," said UC Berkeley epidemiology prof Dr. Arthur Reingold.

That could beryllium factored into decisions astir an upcoming COVID booster, adjacent arsenic vaccine entree is being restricted with the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now removing the vaccine from the CDC's immunization docket for large women and steadfast children.

"We cognize if you're vaccinated during pregnancy, those antibodies ma develops walk done to the baby, and protects infants up to astir 6 months of property from COVID, truthful each of this extortion is being mislaid by this decision," Dr. Swartzberg said.

"I personally americium going to get a booster, I urge my friends and household get the booster," Dr. Reingold said.