Meet Eris, The COVID Variant Behind A Summer Resurgence In Cases: 3 Drugmakers Prep Fall Booster Shots

In the midst of a seemingly constant hum of summer activity, something from the past is looming large again: COVID-19.

What Happened: New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed hospitalizations shot up by 12.5% between July 23 and July 29.

In fact, they have been climbing consistently since the start of July.

An increasing presence of SARS-CoV-2 is evident in wastewater, with a 10% surge in sites registering their highest-ever virus levels, according to the CDC's website.

The return of the virus aligns with the emergence of a new dominant strain known as EG.5 or “Eris.”

The new variant now accounts for an estimated 17.3% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S., Vox noted, marking a 9.8% increase since the beginning of July. Originating from the previously rampant omicron variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently reclassified EG.5 from a “variant under monitoring” to one “of interest.”

The organization’s risk evaluation report emphasized the possibility of the new variant triggering a surge in global case numbers. Still, the direct association between increased disease severity and EG.5 is currently unproven.

While concern over the new variant is palpable, the strain on the U.S. healthcare system is currently lower compared to previous summers.

Yet, comprehending the extent and implications of EG.5 is challenging due to a significant decline in outbreak data. The CDC now provides limited data on variant proportions, covering only select regions.

The reduction in funding following the discontinuation of the emergency response to COVID-19 on May 11 is partly to blame. However, wastewater monitoring provides invaluable insights into the prevalence of emerging strains.

Among cities seeing a surge in virus levels in their wastewater are Chicago, New York City, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and other densely populated areas, according to the CDC’s wastewater metric map.

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Simultaneously, the reliability of tracking and gauging the true extent of the pandemic has taken a hit. Many states have curtailed their daily data updates, which adds to the ambiguity.

A case in point is the rapid proliferation of the Omicron subvariant BA.5.

While the variant now constitutes about 54% of new cases, the true scale might be obscured by the reduced frequency and reach of public testing.

A New Season, New Defenses: Vaccine Stocks And Upcoming Boosters
As fall approaches, the focus shifts to the vaccination landscape. Revised COVID-19 vaccines geared to the fall season are expected to be ready by the end of September, contingent upon approvals from the FDA and CDC, according to CBS.

The new shots will primarily target the XBB variants, descendants of the original Omicron strain.

Pfizer Inc PFE, BioNTech SE – ADR BNTX, Moderna Inc MRNA, and Novavax Inc NVAX are all set to release their updated vaccines.

Notably, there will be an end to government-purchased vaccine supplies, clearer eligibility criteria for receiving the shots, and significant alterations in the vaccine compositions.

The newly formulated vaccines will employ a single component targeting the XBB.1.5 variant, a departure from the previous “bivalent” boosters. Earlier boosters combined two components to bolster immunity against both the original virus strain and the Omicron BA.4/5 variant.

Although newer strains such as EG.5 are emerging, experts remain optimistic about the new vaccine formulations’ protective capabilities.

The timeline for widespread vaccine availability could extend into October, though.

Both Pfizer and Moderna, having completed their submissions to the FDA in June, might receive the green signal first. “We are ready with products already now,” Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla was quoted in a CBS News article.

Novavax is set to finalize its emergency use authorization submission for its revised vaccine in the coming weeks, eyeing product delivery by September’s end.

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