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Scientists and virologists are closely monitoring these variants to understand exactly how they have managed to gain such a foothold. The Stratus (XFB) variant appears to have optimized its binding affinity to human cells, making it more likely that an exposure leads to a successful infection. Meanwhile, the Nimbus (NB.1.8.1) strain seems to be particularly adept at “immune escape,” meaning it can partially bypass the antibodies generated by older vaccine formulas or infections from earlier variants like Omicron. This does not mean that existing immunity is useless, but rather that its effectiveness as a “wall” against infection has become more of a “filter,” allowing more breakthrough cases to occur.
