What to know about the XBB.1.5 variant

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Meet XBB.1.5, the New COVID-19 Variant]( By Jamie Ducharme Health Correspondent Unfortunately, the new year has brought with it a new viral variant: XBB.1.5. Yet another descendent of Omicron, it's currently responsible for about 40% of new COVID-19 cases nationwide, and as many as 75% in the Northeast. Researchers are still learning about XBB.1.5, but it seems uniquely able to bypass immune defenses gained from vaccination or prior infections compared to past variants. Pair that with its apparent contagiousness, and we may be in for another surge of infections and reinfections this winter. If you’re among the 83% of U.S. adults who haven’t yet gotten a bivalent booster shot, XBB.1.5 is a good reason to change that. Preliminary research suggests that people who got the latest booster have stronger defenses than those who haven’t. High-quality masks, good ventilation, and rapid tests will also be crucial tools for staying well during this fourth COVID-19 winter. [READ THE STORY](. Share the story What else to read [What We Know So Far About Damar Hamlin’s Cardiac Arrest]( By Anisha Kohli Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital on Tuesday after going into cardiac arrest during a primetime game against the Cincinnati Bengals. [Read More »]( [FDA Expands Availability of Abortion Pills]( By Matthew Perrone/AP The Food and Drug Administration finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies. [Read More »]( [The White Supremacist Origins of Exercise, and 6 Other Surprising Facts About the History of U.S. Physical Fitness]( By Olivia B. Waxman And six other surprising facts about the history of fitness in America. [Read More »]( [The E.U. And China Are Barreling Toward a Political Standoff Over COVID-19]( The bloc moved closer to imposing restrictions on travelers from China, as Beijing threatened countermeasures. [Read More »]( [Why You Shouldn't Exercise If You’re Feeling Sick]( By Markham Heid Exercise won’t make you better, but it could make your illness worse. (Originally published in 2018.) [Read More »]( One Last Read [Why Paxlovid Is So Underused]( In the age of Omicron, Paxlovid is one of the only treatments left to help people at high risk for COVID-19. Yet it's dismally underused for several reasons, explains journalist Max Kozlov in Nature. One of people's biggest fears is Paxlovid rebound, or getting sick again shortly after their COVID-19 symptoms have cleared up. But rebound is typically mild and can even occur in people who don't take the drug, experts say—so it's no reason not to take the life-saving medication if you qualify. [Read More »]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and edited by Mandy Oaklander. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.