Experts Say XBB.1.5 Might Be Unavoidable

Experts say that the newest COVID-19 variant is so infectious that it may be “unavoidable.” But even if the XBB.1.5 variant spreads across the population like wildfire, virologist Paula Cannon doesn’t think it will lead to the societal disruptions we experienced early in the pandemic. That’s because she said we have better tools, such as vaccines and antiviral medication, to protect people from serious illnesses even if they get infected.