coronavirus variant

BA.5 more easily transmits and escapes immunity, leading many to call it the “worst version” of omicron yet. Breakthrough hospitalizations are rising, too, but it might not just be the variant causing the spike.

A new tool in the fight against the sixth wave of COVID was rolled out on Long Island today. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.

New York City and Long Island are seeing their highest COVID reinfection rates in half a year, new state data show, and while new case increases associated with this latest pandemic wave are slowing, and hospitalizations are manageable, many in areas hard-hit by the BA.5 variant are freshly concerned with getting sick again. The so-called “worst version” of omicron yet…

The number of U.S. counties meeting the CDC’s high-risk threshold for COVID spread soared another 18% in the last week and is up a stunning 102% over the last two, marking a four-fold increase in that top threat category in roughly the last month as the so-called “worst version” of omicron yet strengthens its footing in America and the tri-state…

New York state is looking to the fall and outlining the battle plan against the virus. Chris Glorioso reports.

The head of the White House’s COVID response team joined Gov. Kathy Hochul’s first COVID briefing in three months Wednesday to expound on the latest threats as New York grapples with a sixth pandemic wave fueled by the so-called “worst version” of omicron yet, and the one-time epicenter battles viral rates at levels unseen since late January. BA.5, the...

Hospitalizations are up in several states after a surge in COVID-19 infections as subvariants of Omicron spread. And as Google search trends tell us, interest in boosters is high right now. “It is critically important to get boosted now, as we are in the midst of that BA.5 wave,” Dr. Aditi Nerurkar of Harvard Medical School tells LX News Now....

This time last week, the five boroughs of NYC were among 667 U.S. counties deemed high-risk for community COVID spread by the CDC. This week, they’re five of 1,143.

Do you really need to be wearing masks in NYC again? Here’s what Dr. Anthony Fauci has to say about that — and which borough is seeing the highest COVID transmission rates now.

At-home testing kits are being passed out at distribution sites across NYC amid another wave of COVID. Gus Rosendale reports.

While the city said there is more help coming to New Yorkers in the fight against this latest COVID wave — things did not kick off as planned. The city was supposed to start handing out free at-home COVID test kits at dozens of sites across all five boroughs Wednesday — but that plan hit a snag, prompting confusion about…

You’ve probably heard about the latest COVID variant by now. And if you haven’t here’s the deal. BA.5 first emerged in South Africa and is dubbed by many experts to be the “worst version” of omicron yet.” It has proven to be up to 4.2 times more vaccine-resistant than one of its predecessors, BA.2.12.1, which research showed eluded vaccine...

New York City has distributed more than 82,000 COVID courses of treatment and more than 35 million at home tests to schools and organizations. Romney Smith Reports.

The latest COVID variant to dominate America is more than 4 times more vaccine-resistant, a new study finds — as another set of research sheds disturbing light on how COVID reinfection increases your risk of death from any cause.

The tri-state appears to already be getting hit with the sixth COVID wave, and doctors say this particular subvariant of omicron can elude rapid test detection and more easily reinfect people, including those who have been vaccinated and boosted. Omicron subvariant BA.5 is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S., with about 100,000 cases reported every day in recent…

COVID infection rates are once again surging in New York City. Gus Rosendale reports.

New York state on Monday announced a new COVID hotline to serve those who test positive for the virus but don’t have a healthcare provider, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. The hotline, 1-888-TREAT-NY, uses NYC Health + Hospitals Virtual ExpressCare platform and aims to help reduce barriers to treatment for underserved communities. All New Yorkers outside of New York City...

The rush on COVID-19 vaccines for New York City’s youngest age group has been anything but, as health officials report approximately 11,000 vaccinations among children under five since the doses were first approved by the CDC two weeks ago. Federal officials finally gave the OK for the age group to roll up their sleeves on June 18, more than two…

New York City health officials are once again urging people to wear masks in indoor settings with large crowds as the City has been deemed high risk by the CDC for COVID-19, Chris Jose reports.

All five boroughs of New York City are back in the CDC’s high-risk category for COVID community spread as of the agency’s Friday update, a reflection of the increasingly infectious national climate as the “worst version” of omicron yet holds its dominance. Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island had all been in the CDC high-risk category for...