Catching Up on COVID-19

June 04, 2025

COVID-19 is not the viral threat of 2020, but it is still important to monitor the latest public health developments.

This week, a new variant and an updated vaccine have made headlines, as the nation’s health leaders decide what preparations should look like ahead of the winter respiratory virus season.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Public health plans:  Current spread of the virus remains low, with test positivity at just 2.7 percent for the week ending May 24. There are 0.9 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to CDC data.
• New variant:  The World Health Organization designated NB.1.8.1 as another new COVID-19 variant for monitoring. It has been detected in 22 countries.
  • “Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,” the public health agency noted.
• Most common:  The Omicron descendant LP.8.1 represents the large majority of detected cases (73%) in the U.S.
  • The companies producing COVID-19 vaccines have been directed to update their shots to target this strain.
• Vaccine:  Last week, the FDA approved Moderna’s new COVID-19 vaccine for  use in all adults 65 and older and people between 12–64 years with at least one or more underlying risk factor as defined by the CDC.
• What to watch:  The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel is expected to meet later this month to discuss recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.

Additional information with the latest public health updates is available online.