The emerging COVID variant, BA 3.2, nicknamed “Cicada,” has revived memories of the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted the world and raised fresh concerns about the possibility of severe illness. The variant has been given the nickname “Cicada” due to its reappearance after remaining dormant or undetected for a long period, much like cicadas that emerge after years underground. With the variant already spread to 23 nations, as of February, experts are urging people to use masks to avoid transmission. What Is The Cicada COVID Variant? Cicada was first identified in a respiratory sample in South Africa in November 2024. It is a descendant of the Omicron BA.3 lineage, and is genetically distinct from the previously circulating JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG). BA.3.2 comprises two major branches, BA.3.2.1 and BA.3.2.2. BA.3.2.2 also has substitutions like: K356T, A575S, R681H, and R1162P. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated BA.3.2 as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM). It means the variant may not be that dangerous yet, but it may have concerning mutations. As per the US CDC’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Cicada has “70 to 75 substitutions and deletions in the gene sequence of its spike protein”. Time To Mask Up Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, a doctor and healthcare strategy executive, writing in Forbes, stressed the need to follow COVID practices such as masks and hand hygiene. "Healthcare professionals recommend taking general precautions, similar to those used to prevent most viral transmission: get vaccinations when appropriate, wear masks in crowded areas or indoors where there is a high risk of transmission," he said. He also urged “avoid individuals who have known illness or infections, wash hands frequently, and continue to stay apprised of local community guidelines and the infection spread”. Cicada variant “is different from the (Covid-19) viruses we have been dealing with for the last two years," Prof Ravi Gupta, of Cambridge University, who advised the UK government during the pandemic, was quoted as saying by The Mirror. Will The Cicada Variant Cause Severe Illness? The SARS-CoV-2 virus has the potential to turn deadly in people, especially among vulnerable populations such as those with a weak immune system. The Cicada variant is particularly concerning as it provides no immune protection to people with previous infection or even vaccination. Yet, the World Health Organization and health experts advise that existing COVID vaccinations can help prevent severe illness and hospitalization. "It would appear that all the protections we have from our experience with the virus and with vaccines probably offer more limited—not zero—but more limited protection against this strain," Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was quoted as saying by Time. Cicada Variant: Any New Symptoms? The symptoms of Cicada aren't different from those of previous COVID variants. These include: sore throat, fever or chills, headache, cough, body aches, runny nosenausea diarrhea.