Coronavirus FAQs: How worrisome is the new variant? How long do boosters last?

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/25/ [login to see] /coronavirus-faqs-how-worrisome-is-the-new-variant-how-long-do-boosters-last
I've heard that is yet another new variant of SARS-CoV-2. Say it ain't so!

Yes, it is so. Viruses mutate, new variants emerge. That's happened a number of times with SARS-CoV-2 since the start of the pandemic in 2020. And it's happening again. In mid-August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced: "A new variant of SARS-CoV-2 called BA.2.86 was detected in samples from people in Denmark and Israel. At least two cases have been identified in the United States. This variant is notable because it has multiple genetic differences from previous versions of SARS-CoV-2."