Short answer: nope. This is actually the same BA.3.2 variant that we wrote about as far back as last summer, it just got a new name. Though it was first detected at the end of 2024, it’s in the news now because it’s quickly becoming one of the more common strains in the U.S. and because it has 75 more mutations in its spike protein than last fall’s most common strains.
It’s nicknamed “Cicada” because BA.3 variants lay dormant for a long time before BA.3.2 “woke up” and became competitive.
One area of concern is that it may be infecting kids at higher rates, but it’s still too early to know for sure. There’s some concern that so many mutations could help it evade the vaccine, but again it’s still too early to know.
Right now, Cicada accounts for about 11% of U.S. cases, but it’s unclear how quickly that number is rising. Based on past patterns, COVID variants generally don’t drive a major new wave until they make up half of cases.
The good news is that COVID levels are low across the country by all measures: wastewater, ER visits, and hospitalizations. We are very confident that between infections and vaccinations, there’s very low pandemic risk from any variant of COVID at this point.
If you’re over 65 or at high risk, you may consider a summer COVID shot. Roslyn will be getting hers in May or June, depending on the numbers.
We’ll be honest - this is a depressing read. But it’s an important one that we find ourselves sharing over and over.