During the holiday season, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself around other people, whether intentionally at a holiday gathering, or inadvertently as you shop for gifts.

That said, you may need to be more cautious, as a new variant of COVID-19, BA.2.86 is making the rounds. While there are still many questions surrounding this newer variant, we’re here to tell you everything we know and how to stay safe this holiday season.

What is the new COVID variant BA.2.86?

While BA.2.86 is a recent development in the grand scheme of COVID-19, it’s not exactly new, as the variant first appeared in August. What is new is its rising prevalence. As recently as two weeks ago, BA.2.86 made up 3% of new COVID-19 cases. As of Monday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best estimates put BA.2.86 as comprising 9% of new cases, although the actual number can range anywhere from 5% to 15%. While BA.2.86 is increasingly represented among COVID-19 infections, the variant doesn’t seem to be increasing infections or hospitalizations. Both the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) found that the public health risk posed by this variant is low.

Where is the new COVID variant spreading?

BA.2.86 seems to be most concentrated in the Northeast of the United States, which includes New Jersey and New York. 13% of BA.2.86 cases have been traced to this region, the highest concentration of the variant reported so far.

Symptoms of new COVID variant BA.2.86

According to the CDC, it’s not possible to determine if BA.2.86 is associated with any symptoms different from other variants. “In general,” the organization says, “symptoms of COVID-19 tend to be similar across variants.” These symptoms include:

How to protect yourself from new COVID variant BA.2.86

Wear a mask around others

Wearing a quality mask remains one of the most effective ways to curb the spread of COVID-19, as well as other airborne viruses. Genuine N95 masks block 95% of airborne particulates, including the ones responsible for COVID-19, and as such, have become the gold standard when it comes to masking.

Put an air purifier in your home

Another way to prevent yourself from ingesting COVID-19 particles is by running an air purifier. According to the CDC, HEPA filters are an effective way to remove said particles. The best purifier we’ve tested, the Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max, has a quality HEPA filter. In addition, it’s quiet and easy to use.

Use hand sanitizer to wash your hands

One vector of COVID-19 is touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a surface contaminated with COVID-19 particles. To prevent this, we recommend regularly using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when in public.

Disinfect surfaces with disinfectant wipes

Instead of sanitizing your hands using hand sanitizer, you can instead opt to clean the surface itself using disinfectant wipes. Wipe down surfaces that are touched often like television remotes or light switches. In public, you’ll want to be wary of using public tables and doorknobs.

Monitor your symptoms with a thermometer

One of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 is running a fever. To gauge the severity of whatever illness you have, use a thermometer. Fenometer’s digital infrared thermometer is one of the best thermometers you can buy because it gives readings clearly and almost instantly

Use an at-home COVID-19 test

While a thermometer is helpful, using it to ascertain whether or not you have COVID-19 is ultimately guesswork given that other viruses cause fevers and many individuals are asymptomatic anyway. The best way to know where you stand with COVID-19 is by taking a COVID-19 test, such as this at-home test that delivers results in 15 minutes.