Experts are warning that the most transmissible COVID variant — BA.5 — is here and they say it is also better at escaping vaccines and natural immunity than previous strains of the virus.

And, because of that, it has taken hold as the dominant variant in the country, accounting for 65-percent of new infections last week, according to the Center for Disease Control, as another surge hits the country.

Considering those things, it’s no surprise that the White House said in a release earlier this week that it “has the potential to cause the numbers of infections to rise in the coming weeks.”

In other words, a lot of people are still getting COVID, and a lot more will likely get it soon as the new variant burns its way through the country.

So, how do you know if you have BA.5? What are the symptoms? Well, the symptoms are reportedly similar to other Omicron variants and include:

• Runny nose

• Sore throat

• Headache

• Fever

• Persistent Cough

• Fatigue

Reportedly, the loss of taste and smell, associated with previous variants, has been less prevalent with this variant. Generally, BA.5 appears to be presenting itself upon infection similarly to other respiratory viruses like the flu. The key in successful treatment according to a “Health” article is similar to previous strains — “rapid diagnosis, early diagnosis, and treatment.”

And, of course, vaccination is a key in the fight against the virus.