The Rise of HV.1: The Dominant Winter COVID Variant

Health authorities in the United States are monitoring a new COVID-19 variant, HV.1, which is rapidly spreading and may replace the current dominant variant, EG.5. HV.1 is responsible for nearly 20% of all COVID-19 cases in the country. While highly transmissible, experts are not concerned about this variant, as it is unlikely to be more serious than other circulating variants. Symptoms of HV.1 are similar to other COVID-19 symptoms. The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected to provide protection against HV.1, as it is based on a variant closely related to HV.1.