We tested live Omicron BA.2.86 subvariant isolated from a South African swab. As you'll see below, it was lurking somewhere for over a year, then started to spread rather slowly, maybe because it evolved similar immune escape to what is circulating now, but no better.
Sharing some new experimental data on BA.2.86:
1) BA.2.86 is antigenically distinct compared to XBB.1.5.
2) BA.2.86 can significantly escape XBB-infection/vaccination induced antibodies.
3) However, the infectivity of BA.2.86 may be much lower than XBB.1.5 and EG.5. (1/n)
A lot of questions about XBB.1.5, which is elbowing out other omicron varieties to be the dominant variant of the winter surge.
XBB.1.5 does seem to have a transmission/fitness advantage but that doesn’t mean it’s an apocalyptic “super variant.”
Why?
Vaccines work. See below: