BA.3.2 Cicada Covid Variant: Symptoms and What to Know

Public health officials are monitoring a highly mutated new variant of COVID-19, formally known as BA.3.2 and nicknamed cicada, which has been detected in at least 25 U.S. States. While the variant exhibits significant genetic changes that may allow it to better escape immunity from previous infections or vaccinations, the World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that it currently poses a low additional public health risk compared to other circulating Omicron descendant lineages.

According to wastewater surveillance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.3.2 currently accounts for approximately 11 percent of COVID samples in the United States. The variant has also been reported in more than 20 countries globally.

Genetic Mutations and the Cicada Nickname

The BA.3.2 variant is an offshoot of the Omicron family. It is described as hyper-mutated due to a significant number of genetic changes in its spike protein. Specifically, researchers have found that BA.3.2 possesses roughly 70 to 75 mutations relative to the coronavirus strains utilized in the fall vaccines.

Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, noted that these mutations may cause the virus to appear different to the human immune system. These changes have the potential to reduce the level of protection provided by prior vaccinations or previous infections.

The variant was nicknamed cicada by T. Ryan Gregory, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Guelph. Gregory chose the name because the variant, like the insect, spent its first few years underground before re-emerging as a potential major variant.

Public Health Risk and Clinical Severity

Despite its high mutation rate, early evidence suggests that BA.3.2 is not currently driving large waves of infection or causing more severe disease. Dr. Tyler B. Evans, an infectious disease physician and cofounder of Wellness Equity Alliance, stated that there is no indication the variant causes new symptoms or more severe illness, noting that there has not been any major substantive difference between this strain and prior variants.

In December 2025, the World Health Organization officially classified BA.3.2 as a variant under monitoring. This classification reflects the need for continued surveillance while acknowledging that the current risk remains low.

available evidence suggests that BA.3.2 poses low additional public health risk compared with other circulating Omicron descendent lineages.

World Health Organization

Immunity and Vaccine Efficacy

The primary concern for medical experts is the uncertainty regarding how existing immunity will interact with the BA.3.2 strain. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert and professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has highlighted uncertainty about the extent to which immunity from previous infections or vaccine-related immunity might protect individuals against this specific variant.

The CDC is currently employing a multimodal genomic surveillance approach to monitor the variant, specifically in relation to the antigens used in the 2025–26 COVID-19 vaccines. Public health experts suggest that boosters remain vital, particularly for older adults, to maintain protection against evolving strains.

Timeline and Spread

BA.3.2 emerged over a year ago and remained at low levels until the fall of 2025, when it began to increase in several countries, including the United States. As of February 11, 2026, the CDC confirmed its detection in at least 25 states.

While national COVID cases have been declining, researchers are monitoring BA.3.2 for its potential to fuel a surge in cases during the spring or summer of 2026 if it spreads more widely. Although it is currently spreading more slowly than some previous variants, officials continue to track its trajectory.

some scientists have indicated that children may be more likely to contract the BA.3.2 variant, though the strain continues to be monitored across all age groups as part of global surveillance efforts.