US EditionKids May Be More Likely to Get the New ‘Cicada’ Variant of Covid-19, Scientists Say. Here’s What to Know About BA.3.2
The highly mutated Omicron descendant is a poor match for current vaccines and appears to infect children more readily, researchers said.
- The 'Cicada' variant, formally known as BA.3.2, has been detected in 23 countries and wastewater from 25 U.S. states, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published last month.
- Researchers nicknamed the virus 'Cicada' because, like the insect, it first appeared in 2024, went dormant, and resurfaced in the U.S. late last year. The variant descended from the Omicron lineage that debuted in 2021.
- Current vaccines designed for the JN.1 lineage may not strongly match this heavily mutated strain. Brandon Dionne, associate clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern University, called it "almost a complete stranger" to those in the U.S.
- Data shows the variant efficiently infects children aged 3 to 15 years old, though no evidence suggests it causes more severe disease. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, confirmed no data indicates Cicada is more severe than other variants.
- Though currently a minority strain, Marc Johnson, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, believes Cicada has a "very good chance" of becoming dominant. Scientists remain uncertain whether the variant warrants updated vaccines.
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New ‘Cicada' Covid variant BA.3.2 shows unusual trend in children; should you be concerned?
Covid-19 has not disappeared. It has just become quieter, almost sitting in the background. Cases are low in many places, but the virus is still evolving. Slowly, and sometimes in ways that are not immediately obvious. One such example is BA.3.2, a newer Omicron offshoot that scientists have nicknamed “Cicada”. It is not causing alarm right now, but it is being watched closely. Not because it is dangerous, more because it is behaving a little di…
Kids may be more likely to get the new ‘Cicada’ variant of Covid-19, scientists say. Here’s what to know about BA.3.2
A heavily mutated variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 appears to be affecting primarily children, scientists say, though it’s not causing more severe disease – in kids or in adults.
The Cicada Covid variant is spreading in the US
A Covid-19 variant has returned with a vengeance. The BA.3.2 version, nicknamed Cicada, has now been found in over 20 states. The virus is highly mutated, making it difficult for vaccines to recognize. Though similar to other viruses, this strain has the potential to become more prevalent.How dangerous is the variant?The Cicada variant earned its name because, like the insect, it “first appeared back in 2024, went dormant for a while and resurfa…
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