, Columnist
New Pirola Covid Variant Shows Value of Booster Shots
A new variety of the coronavirus isn’t as dangerous as previously feared. What’s more, the fall jab should provide good protection.
Still causing trouble
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Preliminary data from three separate research teams suggest the latest anxiety-inducing Covid variant isn’t quite the threat many had feared. BA.2.86 — or what some armchair epidemiologists have dubbed “Pirola” — does seem capable of escaping some of our prior immunity, but we’re not left defenseless.
Even better, data suggests the updated boosters, which are matched to a previous variant known as XBB, could still offer decent protection against the new edition.