Five years later, and some places still revert to failed, insane policies of the COVID-19 era.

Honduras has reinstated mask mandates in public spaces due to a ‘variant’ reportedly spreading across the country.

According to Reuters, Honduras’ health ministry reported two deaths this week, bringing the nation’s 2025 total to six.

“We have already surpassed last year’s infection limit; there are currently five people admitted to Hospital Escuela with suspected COVID-19,” Health Surveillance head Lorenzo Pavon said, according to the outlet.

More from Reuters:

Official data showed that from January to July last year, 596 COVID-19 cases were reported, while this year 654 cases have been recorded in the same period.

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The temporary measures, which took effect on Thursday, make masks obligatory in hospitals, airports, shopping centers, banks, schools, public transport, and other enclosed or crowded spaces. The government also ordered temporary work-from-home for state institutions.

Authorities are urging the public to complete their COVID-19 and influenza vaccination schedules and to seek medical advice for respiratory symptoms. Frequent hand washing and the use of antibacterial gel continue to be recommended measures.

Officials also warned that they will maintain monitoring of variants and will reinforce public information campaigns. The Ministry of Health reiterated that it will continuously evaluate the epidemiological situation and warned that the measures could be expanded if the number of infections continues to rise.

Also, mainstream media outlets claim another variant is spreading across the United States.

But very, very few people are buying the fearmongering anymore.

USA TODAY wrote:

A new COVID-19 variant that was unheard of just months ago is now projected to be the second-most common strain in the United States.

Variant NB.1.8.1 was first detected in China in January but accounted for about 0% of cases in the United States until May. By early June, it was estimated to account for up to 37%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization evaluated the additional public health risk posed by the variant as “low at the global level in a May report, in which it also advised that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are “expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.”

Here’s what we know about NB.1.8.1:

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NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a “slightly upgraded version” of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, previously told USA TODAY in May.

The new variant was first detected in January in China. As of mid-May, the variant had reached 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to the WHO.

Verma previously stated that NB.1.8.1 may be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he noted that NB.1.8.1 can evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1.

“NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring,” Verma said.

 

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