If you thought the pandemic was over, guess what? It’s not. There’s a new COVID-19 variant strain and it’s spreading across the world.
EG.5, also known as “Eris”, accounts for the growing number of COVID-19 cases in China and the United States. According to experts, it poses a similar level of global risk as previous variants and symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, stuffy/runny nose, and change in taste and smell.
In addition to China and the United States, several other countries are dealing with the effects of the new variant, including Japan, South Korea, and Canada. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EG.5 is now the dominant strain in the U.S., currently making up 17.3 percent of cases.
Reformulated vaccines are set to be released in late September and are expected to better protect against EG.5 in comparison to previous vaccines. Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax are all preparing to release their own versions.
