Mar 27, 2026
3 min read
BA.3.2, aka "cicada," is a new version of COVID that has evolved in the U.S.
BA.3.2, a new highly mutated strain of COVID-19 that may better evade vaccine immunity or previous infection, is now spreading in the United States.
Although COVID cases are currently low nationally, the BA.3.2 strain is gaining traction around the world.BA.3.2, also known as the "cicada", emerged a year ago and slowly simmered until last autumn, when it began to grow in many countries, including the USA.
As of February, BA.3.2 has been identified in at least 25 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Perhaps something about the many genes and protein spike of the variant, which separates it from other circulating species, Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., an entomologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told TODAY.com.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, constantly mutates as it spreads.Over time, this leads to the emergence of new variants.But according to experts BA.3.2 stands out.
"It has a lot of changes that make it different from your immune system," Pecos said.
A new study published in the CDC's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report may reduce protection against previous Covid infection or vaccination.
As a result, public health officials are closely monitoring the "hyper-mutated" strain.In December 2025, the World Health Organization identified BA.3.2 as a "type under investigation".
BA.3.2 was named "Cicada", University of Guelph Professor of Evolutionary Biology T.
As the insect calls it, BA.3.2 spent its first year "underground" before reemerging as a major variant, Gregory tells TODAY.com.
Here's what you need to know about BA.3.2, where it spreads, possible symptoms and vaccine effectiveness.
What is the new variant of COVID, BA.3.2?
BA.3.2 was first identified in November 2024 in South Africa.It is a descendant of BA.3, an omicron subvariant that appeared in 2022 and shares a short distance with BA.1 and BA.2, the CDC said.
The BA.3's predecessor became extinct, but it never went extinct, Pekosz says.Two years and dozens of mutations later, BA.3.2 appeared.
Since 2024, BA.3.2 has been slow and quiet, overshadowed by variants like Nimbus and XFG - all descended from BA.2.Last September, the BA.3.2 began flying.
"It was under the radar until it started spreading more person-to-person, mirrored," says Begos.
BA.3.2 has 70-75 changes in its spike protein — Pekosz says that's too many — distinguishing it from the JN.1 and LP.8.1 strains targeted for current COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the CDC, BA.3.2 represents a new lineage that is "genetically distinct" from the family of variants we've seen in recent years."We think it can avoid a lot of the immunity that's already in the population," Pekoz said.
In laboratory studies, BA.3.2 effectively evaded antibodies against COVID-19 due to its peak protein variation, the CDC said.
"What's interesting, however, is that some of these mutations may cause the virus to bind less well to our cells. So, yes, our immune system may not recognize it, but it also may not recognize us," Dr. Dana Mazo, an infectious disease physician at NYU Langone Health, told TODAY.com.
Why is BA.3.2 coming back now?Not sure, Mazo said.
Does the new Covid variant cause more severe disease?
BA.3.2 Does it make people sick?Fortunately, no.
"There is no evidence that BA.3.2 causes more severe disease or hospitalizations in countries where it is more prevalent," Dr. Adolfo García-Sastri, director of the Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute at Mount Sinai, said today.com says.
"Of course, it can still cause problems, but it's not a more problematic species than the previous ones," says Garcia-Sastre.
Pekosz adds: "It looks scary on paper, but it still doesn't affect the disease in many places."
Where is BA.3.2 published?
As of February 11, 2026, BA.3.2 has spread to at least 23 countries, according to CDC and the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database.According to the CDC, it accounts for about 30 percent of cases in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.
BA.3.2 was first detected in June 2025 in travelers returning from the Netherlands at San Francisco International Airport in the United States, the CDC said.The virus has since been detected in more international travelers, COVID-19 patients and sewage samples.
According to the CDC, BA.3.2 is distributed in at least 25 countries:
— New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
BA.3.2 currently does not provide enough cases to add to the CDC version rate tracker.
But the latest data from WastewaterSCAN, a disease monitoring program run by Stanford University, shows BA.3.2 was detected in 3.7% of wastewater samples nationwide, a spokesman tells TODAY.com.
“There are still a lot of unknown questions about how common this is in the U.S. because surveillance has been greatly reduced,” says García-Sastre.
Will BA.3.2 make waves in the US?
Although detection of BA.3.2 is increasing, it is still circulating at relatively low levels in many countries, including the US. “It is increasing, but it has not led to a huge wave of infections anywhere,” Pekos adds.
The cicada has not outgrown the current dominant variants, XFG (stratus), NB.1.8.1 (nimbus) and their descendants, Gregory adds.
Despite the large changes in its spike protein, "BA.3.2 did not show a sustained increase in success over any other published variable," the WHO said.
"If it really has an advantage, we could see it emerging and dominating the world very quickly. We haven't seen that. But it's not going away. So that's something to watch out for," Pequez said.
Even if BA.3.2 can escape the existing immune system, there will likely still be "cross-reactivity," so it won't be a complete stranger to our immune system, experts say.
COVID-19 can be unpredictable, so only time will tell.“Maybe it will evolve and become a little better at spreading or causing disease, but we just don’t know,” Pekosz says.
However, it is unlikely that BA.3.2 will cause waves as large or severe as those seen long before the disaster, he added.
Symptoms of the new coronavirus variant BA.3.2
The BA.3.2 standards are similar to those currently carried by other variants, experts note.
According to the CDC, common symptoms of COVID-19 in 2026 include:
- Fever or chills
- Sore throat
- Breathing difficulties
- Loss of smell or taste
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
Symptoms can vary from person to person, but usually go away on their own with supportive care.
“The new variant is still sensitive to the coveted antiviral drugs we developed, so at least they will work,” says García-Sastre.
Can vaccines prevent COVID-19?
Experts note that BA.3.2 has attracted attention because changes in its spike protein can affect how the vaccine protects against infections, highlighting the need for a possible revamp.
2025-2026 Covid vaccines targeting the JN.1 lineage are effective in protecting against current strains of severe disease.
In laboratory studies, these vaccines were less effective against BA.3.2, but more research is needed, the CDC said.
"It's not entirely clear how effective the current vaccine is, but it may still be somewhat effective," Garcia-Sastre said.
According to the World Health Organization, the current corona vaccines "are expected to continue to provide protection against serious diseases".
Vaccines are usually reformulated in the summer and can protect against multiple variants."One of the beauties of this vaccine is that we can update it every year," says Mazo.
In the meantime, you can still protect yourself and others by getting tested if you have symptoms, staying home if you're sick, and wearing a mask in high-risk environments (crowded, indoors).
If you haven't been vaccinated or had a COVID infection in the past 6 to 12 months, you may want to talk to your doctor about whether a booster is right for you, Garcia-Sastre says.
Vaccination is especially important for people at the highest risk of serious illness from COVID-19, including adults over the age of 65 and people with weakened immune systems or medical conditions.
"Vaccination will still help limit cases," Pekosz said.
