California Watches Cicada COVID Subvariant as Summer Risk Grows
California is monitoring the highly mutated BA.3.2 subvariant nicknamed 'cicada,' which could spark a modest summer COVID uptick due to immune evasion, though current wastewater data show low levels and it is not expected to dominate. Seniors have particularly low updated-vaccine coverage (about 28.7% with at least one updated dose), prompting officials to urge vaccination for those 6 months and older, especially high-risk groups, with two updated doses spaced six months apart. Experts warn COVID's seasonality is less predictable than influenza, so a precautionary summer-to-fall uptick remains possible.
