BA.5 is spreading, fast

The BA.5 subvariant has spread rapidly nationwide, overtaking other mutations as the dominant variant and increasing infections and hospitalizations — a fact the White House has taken note of. 

On Tuesday, top public officials held a COVID news conference to sort out the facts, my colleague Martin Finucane reported. The main takeaways? The virus is spreading fast, again, and vaccinating and boosting are the key tools to keep yourself protected, especially for those 50 years or older. Plus, a previous COVID infection probably won’t offer much protection. 

“People with prior infection, even with BA.1 or BA.2, are likely still at risk for BA.4 or BA.5,” said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

Keep in mind: This time around, the metrics don’t tell the full story about BA.5. Many people are testing at home, and several state-sponsored testing sites have closed or downsized, meaning our infection figures are likely dramatically undercounted, experts say.