'Razor blade throat': What to know about COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1

A painful sore throat, often referred to as "razor blade throat", is just one of the symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant. This variant is currently being monitored by the World Health Organization.

"Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level," the WHO stated in a May report. "Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease."

The new COVID-19 variant was first detected in China back in January.

How common is NB.1.8.1?

For a two-week period starting on May 25 and ending on June 7, the CDC’s Nowcast estimates tracker shows projections for the different COVID-19 variants. According to the latest CDC data, NB.1.8.1 strain is the second highest in the U.S. and makes up 37% of the total cases of COVID-19 recorded in the U.S.

The most common strain is LP.8.1, which accounts for 38% of cases, followed by NB.1.8.1 with 37%, XFG with 8%, XFC making up 7%, and LF.7.9 with 4%.

What is NB.1.8.1?

NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, previously told USA TODAY in May.

Verma previously said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1.

"NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring," Verma said.

USA TODAY has reached out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on the variant.

What is 'razor blade throat'?

An extremely sore throat, or "razor blade throat", is a symptom that's currently being associated with the new variant.

People with the variant are saying that it feels their throats are covered with razor blades, according to Los Angeles Times, Fox News, SF Gate, and other news outlets. Many people have also taken to social media to describe the "razor blade throat."

"I’ve just had the new variant and the sore throat was awful!" said one person on a Reddit thread. Started scratchy and went downhill from there.

"I had a sore throat last Saturday night, started sort of just scratchy, then progressed into not being able to swallow and kept me up all night," commented another user.

It isn't the first time a symptom like this has been described.

With other strains, people said their throats felt like they had shards of glass jutting out, due to the extreme pain of their sore throats. This symptom, however, is gaining more popularity as the COVID-19 variant spreads.

What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1?

The CDC has not outlined symptoms that are specific to the NB.1.8.1. variant. Verma said that NB.1.8.1 symptoms appear similar to those of earlier COVID-19 variants.

The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms:

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Sore throat

• Congestion or a runny nose

• New loss of taste or smell

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• Nausea or vomiting

The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Trouble breathing

• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

• New confusion

• Inability to wake or stay awake

• Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue

  
  

How can you protect yourself from NB.1.8.1 and other variants?

The World Health Organization states that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant.

In a webpage dated Jan. 7, 2025, the CDC advises that everyone over the age of six months get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the 2024-2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

It also suggests that people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are age 65 and older, are immunocompromised, live at a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, and/or want to avoid getting long COVID, should get the vaccine, especially.

However, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently recommended changes to COVID vaccinations.

On May 27, Kennedy said the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. And on May 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it plans to require new clinical trials for approval of the annual COVID-19 boosters for healthy individuals under the age of 65.

This could mean that some who still wish to receive the vaccine may have to pay out of pocket.

What is a COVID-19 booster shot?

Updated and annual COVID-19 vaccines are actually not "booster shots." Boosters are additional doses of the same vaccine that are needed to maintain immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Updated vaccines protect against new variants of a virus, like NB.1.8.1.

How to (still) get a COVID-19 test for free

Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT), a federal program, continues to provide free COVID-19 testing to individuals without health insurance.

According to the CDC, as of May 27, more than 19,000 locations across the country offer free testing. To find a location near you that offers free testing, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov/Search.

This story has been updated to add new information.