A painful sore throat, often referred to as "razor blade throat", is just one of the symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant. This variant is currently being monitored by the World Health Organization.
"Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level," the WHO stated in a May report. "Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease."
The new COVID-19 variant was first detected in China back in January.
NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, previously told USA TODAY in May.
Verma previously said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1.
