New COVID-19 variants are spreading broadly within the Northern hemisphere's 2024 winter. COVID appears to surge as a non seasonal virus. High vaccination and herd immunity to previous infections have helped keep the death rates down. However hospitalizations are going up again in the U.S. (update 1)

• COVID hospitalizations are spiking in the U.S. and Europe. 

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My experience with the "Pirola" COVID variant, caught before the Southern Hemisphere summer in 2023.  Same month (October) as in 2022, when I was infected with XBB (COVID):  chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/search/label/Pirola