Experts have issued their verdict on the new coronavirus strain XEC as it continues to sweep through Europe and Brits were urged to get the vaccine in response to the rising number of cases
Health experts have shared their thoughts on the latest Covid-19 variant which has swept the globe.
The strain, called XEC, was first detected in Germany in June but has since hit the UK, Denmark and the United States.
Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine at the University of California, explained that it mirrors many of the symptoms displayed by other variants. Those who are struggling with a sore throat, cough, body aches, fever and loss of sense of smell and appetite could have XEC.
The strain, which is a subvariant of Omricon, is rapidly spreading across Europe and experts believe that vaccines should offer a similar type of protection against it developing into a severe illness. Gandhi issued her verdict on how serious the variant is and said: “There is no evidence that the symptoms caused by [new variants] differ from the symptoms caused by other Omicron subvariants.
“The symptoms seem to be the same as with other recent subvariants of Omicron.” She added: “I am not very concerned about the new variant because COVID-19 is not an eradicable virus (it is found in too many animal reservoirs for one thing, with rapid evolution in animals such as deer) so we will always see new subvariants.”
Professor Robert Glatter, of the Zucker School of Medicine, highlighted research which was conducted in 2020. He explained how the results showed why some symptoms can present the same as the flu. He previously told Healthline: “The study found that patients with seasonal flu more commonly developed a cough before the onset of fever. In reality, this may be difficult to discern since the flu often begins abruptly with a triad of symptoms, including back pain, chills, along with a dry cough.”
Their comments came after health warnings were issued to Brits last week about the latest strain. The UK’s most vulnerable have been urged to get a jab. All adults aged 65 and over are able to receive both the latest Covid-19 booster vaccination and this year’s flu jab, along with residents in older adult care homes and people with underlying health conditions aged six months to 64 years.
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: “Covid-19 is continuing to circulate, with a slight increase in hospitalisations over the past two weeks. As winter approaches, we expect flu and RSV to increasingly circulate too, so if you’re eligible to get vaccinated against the three main winter threats – Covid-19, flu and RSV – now is the time to take them up and get winter strong.
“We understand people may be concerned about new variants. Our surveillance shows that where Covid cases are sequenced, around one in 10 are the ‘XEC’ lineage. Current information doesn’t suggest we should be more concerned about this variant, but we are monitoring this closely. The most important thing to do is to get your vaccination as soon as possible if you’re eligible.”