This August, the infamous virus Covid-19 has come back to haunt the public again  under a new strand name; BA.2.86, otherwise known as Pirola. As a descendant of the known Omnicron strand, the virus has already been detected in the US with a chance of triggering another lockdown. This will affect schools across the nation, sending districts into distance learning, and two cases have already been confirmed in Michigan and Ohio by CDC, CBS and Washington News.

The World Health Organization is now monitoring and tracing the strain across multiple countries such as the US, the UK, Israel and Denmark. The public is left wondering if another lockdown is necessary for Pirola, even if the symptoms of the strain closely resemble symptoms of a flu with the noticeable coughing and the feverish chills. However, there is a twist to this; the new strain cannot be detected through at-home testing, making it hard to even know that you’ve come in contact with the virus in the first place. Moreover, district staff and students are all pondering on the thought if the virus will spread into their area in the first place.

More information will be released as the strain develops into other countries, with the reminder for people to practice social distancing, sanitizing habits and to exercise caution near crowds and public gatherings.