The US CDC just updated its #COVID19 variant dashboard. The story, of course, is the rapid rise of XBB.1.5. This variant has already peaked in the US Northeast, but it's spreading across the nation. The Nowcast suggests it is passing 60% now. I think we can expect more hospitalizations and illness in the weeks ahead from this immune-evasive variant. Things are still changing fast--BQ passed 50% just 8 weeks ago. What will happen 8 weeks from now? No one knows, but the pandemic is not over.