A new variant of the coronavirus in the United States has struck.
U.S. health authorities warned last week that a new variant of the novel coronavirus, known as FLiRT, is spreading rapidly across the United States, causing widespread concern. According to the latest data disclosed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the main variant circulating in the United States today is the "FLiRT" family led by KP.2, of which KP.2 has accounted for 25% of infections.
Currently, CDC is monitoring infections caused by the new FLiRT variant. U.S. federal health officials are planning a fall vaccination campaign, and FDA advisers will meet in early June to determine the formulation of the upcoming fall vaccine, expected to target JN.1 and its descendants.
According to the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the main variant of the new coronavirus circulating in the United States today is the "FLiRT" family, led by KP.2: KP.2 has accounted for 25% of infections.
This means that the coronavirus is still mutating. A CDC spokesperson warned that the virus is constantly changing through mutations, and sometimes these mutations can lead to new variants of the virus. Some changes and mutations make it easier for the virus to spread or make it resistant to treatments or vaccines. As the virus spreads, it may change and become more difficult to stop.
The CDC says it is tracking these variants to better understand their potential impact on public health, including the symptoms they may cause or their ability to evade the protections of current vaccines and treatments.
In April this year, American medical expert Eric Topol warned that FLiRT, represented by KP.2, has a more obvious transmission advantage and may trigger a new wave of new crown epidemics.
The FLiRT variant, named after its mutation, is known to include two main strains: KP.2 and KP.1.11. Among them, KP.2 is a descendant of the JN.1 variant, which has surpassed JN.1 as the dominant strain in the United States.
The FLiRT variant has two additional mutations, and scientists believe that KP.2 and KP.1.1 may be better able to evade the immune system due to their mutations in the spike protein.
A spokesman for the Federal Reserve issued a statement on the 17th, saying that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell tested positive for the new coronavirus on the evening of the 16th.
A spokesman told the media that "Chairman Jerome Powell tested positive for the coronavirus late yesterday and is now showing symptoms." ”
The statement also mentioned that Powell followed guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work from home and isolate at home. The Fed's statement was released because Powell was scheduled to deliver a speech at the commencement ceremony of Georgetown University Law School in Washington, D.C., on the 19th. Powell's last diagnosis was in January 2023, and after the news of the second diagnosis, the financial market did not react much, and the three major U.S. stock indexes fluctuated in a narrow range.
On the 14th, Powell also met with the governor of the Dutch Central Bank, Klaas. Knot attended a special event of the Dutch Association of Foreign Bankers (FBA) in Amsterdam. He reiterated at the event that it may take longer than previously expected to gain the confidence needed to cut interest rates.
Given that the Fed's next monetary policy meeting is scheduled for June 11-12, with more than 20 days to go, Powell should be able to recover from the meeting before then.
Powell, 71, was last officially announced positive by the Federal Reserve on January 18, 2023, when the statement mentioned that "he has received the latest COVID vaccine as well as a booster shot." ”
Born into a family of lawyers, Powell earned a B.A. in political science from Princeton University and a J.D. from Georgetown University before pursuing a career as a lawyer. As a result, he is the first Fed chair in nearly 40 years without a Ph.D. in economics.
In May 2012, Powell joined the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. People familiar with him said that when Powell was working at the Fed in his first year, he accelerated his study of monetary economics, and many former employees said that he paid great attention to details, and even read the footnotes of some economics papers.