Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern’s master of public health program, explains how the variant is spreading and what causes the painful sore throat associated with it.
Despite an uptick in recent cases, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths is just about at new lows, according to the most recent data.
That may be little consolation to those infected with the dominant strain, NB.1.8.1, who’ve experienced firsthand why it has earned the nickname “razor blade throat.”
Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern University’s master of public health program, explains what to expect from COVID this summer, how the variant is spreading and what causes the painful sore throat associated with it.
Why it’s called ‘razor blade throat’
NB.1.8.1 is the dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for 43% of COVID-19 cases nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
The variant is also known as Nimbus, and due to its symptoms, “razor blade throat,” Maniar says.
The NB.1.8.1 strain is associated with plenty of symptoms, including a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, nausea and vomiting.
But it’s the piercing sore throat associated with the variant that has earned it the sobriquet “razor blade throat.”
“We’re hearing a lot about this particular symptom. It’s probably just a function of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is able to bind more effectively to receptors in the upper airway,” Maniar says
“My understanding is that because of changes to the spike protein, this variant seems to bind better to ACE receptors which are more prevalent in the upper airway,” he says.
Increased transmissibility, but not danger
NB.1.8.1 “may be a bit more transmissible because of changes in the structure of the virus,” Maniar says. But “it is not leading to increased hospitalizations or deaths,” he says.
The hospitalization rate for COVID as of the week ending July 12 was one per 100,000, according to the CDC, which is slightly higher than the 0.7 per 100,000 reported for the week ending June 14.
The CDC reported 101 weekly COVID deaths for July 12, which appears to be one of the lowest fatality counts for the coronavirus since March 14, 2020.
Is there a summer ‘surge’?
More of an uptick than a surge, the COVID case weekly positivity rate increased to 5.1% as of July 19, compared to 4.2% the week before, representing an increase of 0.3%, according to the CDC.
When COVID cases creep up in the summer it could be due to a variety of factors, including increased travel and social gatherings, the waning effectiveness of earlier vaccines and the transmissibility of the variant, Maniar says.
Get used to seeing ebbs and flows, he says.
“We’re at the point with COVID where we’re going to see the same kind of cycle we see with other types of similar diseases, including the flu,” Maniar says.
CDC says unvaccinated should get the shot
Positivity rates may also increase when the number of people with current vaccinations declines, Maniar says.
The CDC continues to recommend the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for most adults 18 and over. The federal agency says, “Parents of children ages six months to 17 years should discuss the benefits of vaccination with a health care provider.”
The 2024-2025 vaccine should be effective for NB.1.8.1 because both Nimbus and the variant covered by the vaccine are in the Omicron family, Maniar says.
“We know that anyone can get very sick from COVID. The vaccine really reduces the likelihood you’re going to get severe illness,” he says.