XBB is now the dominant COVID variant in New England. Here's how to protect yourself
December 29, 2022
Experts say the current evidence indicates that existing tools — including vaccines, tests and medication treatments — all appear effective against the new subvariant. But the rapid spread suggests that XBB is more contagious than other strains — and also more adept at evading the immune systems of people who’ve already contracted and recovered from other strains of the coronavirus.
The World Health Organization says early data suggests people who caught COVID-19 before the omicron wave (which hit Massachusetts in late 2021) are more likely to be susceptible to infection from XBB than those who were sickened by another omicron strain.
