evidence: The updated booster generated a strong antibody response against BA.2.86, according to Moderna. The variant has not yet gained widespread prevalence in the United States but has raised alarm among experts and health officials because of its high number of mutations. [...] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that BA.2.86, dubbed "Pirola" by some on social media, may be more capable of causing infection in people who have had Covid or were vaccinated, although the agency added there is no evidence to date that it can cause more severe illness. [...] The current increases in cases and hospitalizations in the U.S. are most likely being driven by infections with XBB lineage viruses, not the BA.2.86 variant, according to the CDC.