The COVID Advisor

Overview A new COVID-19 variant, identified as NB.1.8.1, has recently emerged and is drawing international attention due to its increasing prevalence, particularly in China, and its detection in the United States and other countries. 1. Emergence and Spread of NB.1.8.1 Origin and Detection: NB.1.8.1 was first identified as a significant driver of rising COVID-19 cases in China. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed its presence in the United States, though as of late May 2025, fewer than 20 cases had been reported domestically. Global Spread: The World Health Organization (WHO) and multiple health authorities have noted that NB.1.8.1 is now spreading worldwide, with cases reported in several countries. Its rapid dissemination has raised concerns about potential increases in COVID-19 cases in various regions. 2. Variant Characteristics Genetic Profile: NB.1.8.1 is a subvariant of the Omicron lineage, featuring several mutations in the spike protein. These m...

Updates:  COVID-19 Vaccine Labels Updated With Expanded Warnings About Risk of Heart Inflammation (June 2025) COVID-19 Vaccine Myocarditis More Common and More Severe Than SARS-CoV-2 Infection Myocarditis: Landmark Study (2025) Damage to the heart is more common than thought after receipt of Moderna’s COVID-19 booster, a  July 2023 study  indicates. One in 35 health care workers at a Swiss hospital had signs of heart injury associated with the vaccine, mRNA-1273, researchers found. “mRNA-1273 booster vaccination-associated elevation of markers of myocardial injury occurred in about one out of 35 persons (2.8%), a greater incidence than estimated in meta-analyses of hospitalized cases with myocarditis (estimated incidence 0.0035%) after the second vaccination,” the researchers wrote in the paper, published by the European Journal of Heart Failure. In a generally healthy population, the level would be about 1 percent, the researchers said. The group experiencing the adver...

Federal  data  published by the US CDC found that 17.9% (National Estimate) of adults who previously had a COVID-19 infection are currently experiencing symptoms of long COVID. Females tend to have a relatively higher risk as compared to males. If you’re still coping with symptoms three months or more after being infected with COVID-19, you’re considered a COVID long-hauler.  As we learn more about post-COVID syndrome, however, the  definition has been refined  to be more accurate and useful: Subacute or ongoing COVID-19 (post-acute COVID-19 syndrome): symptoms continuing beyond four weeks from acute infection, up to 12 weeks. Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): symptoms persisting beyond the four weeks after acute infection. Post-COVID-19 syndrome (long COVID, long-hauler’s syndrome): chronic ongoing COVID-19 symptoms beyond 12 weeks from acute infection. With 200-plus symptoms linked to long COVID, treatment starts by pinpointing specific medical condition...