coronavirus variants

Thought COVID was done with the surprises? Not yet, apparently. Those itchy, red eyes you have that you assumed were just the start of allergy season? It could very well be something called “Arcturus” instead. XBB.1.16, a subvariant of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus that has acquired that unusual stellar label, appears to be spreading quickly in some…

A stunning new report by New York City’s Health Department shows how deadly the COVID pandemic was for the city,. According to researchers, the virus reduced life expectancy in the five boroughs by more than four years. NBC New York’s Chris Glorioso reports

Two new COVID-19 variants that quietly emerged on the scene over the last few weeks — ones that Dr. Anthony Fauci has described as “pretty troublesome” — are becoming increasingly prevalent in the New York area and stoking fresh concerns as the nation braces for yet another potential winter surge, the latest CDC data shows. You may not have heard…

The New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan encouraged people to continue getting vaccinated to keep numbers down, Erica Byfield reports.

Newly updated COVID vaccine booster shots designed to target omicron’s wildly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are now available in New York, but initial eligibility is limited to those covered by guidance from the CDC, the governor’s office announced Wednesday. First up are people 12 years and older who are at least two months past their previous booster or...

The White House says getting a COVID shot will become a yearly tradition, much like the flu shot. Brian Thompson reports.

The CDC voted Thursday to recommend updated versions of both the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccine boosters, paving way for a widespread rollout as early as next week.