'Razor blade throat': What to know about COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1
'Razor blade throat': What to know about COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1
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COVID variant brings 'razor blade throat' to California
A new COVID variant is causing people to experience such severe sore throats that they say it feels like swallowing razor blades.
Scripps News - KGTV San Diego
A painful sore throat, often referred to as "razor blade throat", is just one of the symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant. This variant is currently being monitored by the World Health Organization.
"Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level," the WHO stated in a report. "Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease."
In May, the WHO released a report stating it was monitoring the variant, but the variant is spreading quickly, according to the university.
The new COVID-19 variant was first detected in China in January.
What is NB.1.8.1?
NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, said Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Verma previously said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1.
"NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring," Verma said.
USA TODAY has reached out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on the variant.
What is 'razor blade throat?'
An extremely sore throat, or "razor blade throat", is a symptom that's currently being associated with the new variant. People with the variant are saying that it feels their throats are covered with razor blades, according to Los Angeles Times, Fox News, SF Gate, and other news outlets. Many people have also taken to social media to describe the "razor blade throat".
It isn't the first time a symptom like this has been described.
With other strains, people said their throats felt like they had shards of glass jutting out, due to the extreme pain of their sore throats. This symptom, however, is gaining more popularity as the COVID-19 variant spreads.
What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1?
The CDC has not outlined symptoms that are specific to the NB.1.8.1. variant. Verma said that NB.1.8.1 symptoms appear similar to those of earlier COVID-19 variants.
The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Sore throat
Congestion or a runny nose
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion
Inability to wake or stay awake
Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue
How can you protect yourself from NB.1.8.1 and other variants?
The World Health Organization states that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant.
In a webpage dated Jan. 7, 2025, the CDC advises that everyone over the age of six months get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the 2024-2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
It also suggests people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are age 65 and older, are immunocompromised, live at a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, and/or want to avoid getting long COVID, should get the vaccine, especially.
However, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently recommended changes to COVID vaccinations.
On May 27, Kennedy said the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. And on May 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it plans to require new clinical trials for approval of the annual COVID-19 boosters for healthy individuals under the age of 65.
This could mean that some who still wish to receive the vaccine may have to pay out of pocket.
What is a COVID-19 booster shot?
Updated and annual COVID-19 vaccines are actually not "booster shots." Boosters are additional doses of the same vaccine that are needed to maintain immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Updated vaccines protect against new variants of a virus, like NB.1.8.1.
RFK Jr. says COVID-19 vaccine no longer recommended for some
The COVID-19 vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says.
How to (still) get a COVID-19 test for free
Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT), a federal program, continues to provide free COVID-19 testing to individuals without health insurance.
According to the CDC, as of May 27, more than 19,000 locations across the country offer free testing. To find a location near you that offers free testing, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov/Search.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
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