John :au: :60: :05: :12: :GP:<p>The new <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/Covid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Covid</span></a> <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/variant" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>variant</span></a> NB.1.8.1 is driving infections in <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/Australia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Australia</span></a>. A <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/virologist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>virologist</span></a> explains what you need to know. <br> <br>The evidence so far suggests NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily and may partially sidestep <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/immunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>immunity</span></a> from prior infections or <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/vaccination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>vaccination</span></a>. These factors could explain its rise in sequencing data. <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/auspol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>auspol</span></a> <a href="https://fairdinkum.one/tags/CovidIsNotOver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CovidIsNotOver</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/30/new-covid-variant-australia-nb181" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/world/2025/may</span><span class="invisible">/30/new-covid-variant-australia-nb181</span></a></p>