Two new COVID omicron variants are here in the United States: BA.4 and BA.5. Two variants being the leading cause for respiratory symptoms out of all COVID variants. So, if you have respiratory symptoms, don’t assume it’s a cold or allergies – go get tested and vaccinated.

There’s now discussion on if those under the age of 15 will need another booster and talks of additional vaccines altogether.

While the research into boosters for under ages under 15, Dr. Robert Hopkins, chief of the Division of Internal Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences asks, “Are there better vaccines that will provide us what we call sterilized immunity, truly locks us down so we can’t get the infection? The mRNA vaccines are good, but they don’t get us to that level of immunity.”

Hopkins says other variants are on the radar from other parts of the world but have not reached the U.S. yet.

Read the full article from KATV.com here.