A new variant of Covid named XEC is now a new cause of concern for health experts in the US. They fear, with temperatures dropping, this new variant, a combination of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, which are descendants of the JN.1 strain, may strike hard and spread its wings beyond. If major mutations happen, things can worsen, they fear. Though there is no Covid ‘season’ as such and infections can continue to wax and wane throughout the year, cases tend to peak in the winter months during respiratory virus season
Is it more infectious than other prevalent variants?
Though not enough widespread yet for a conclusive study, experts say XEC has a bunch of additional mutations, which means it is possibly more infectious than the other prevalent strains. The only way to ward off infection is to adhere to the traditional protocols of following social distancing and maintaining appropriate personal hygiene, like masking and regular handwashing.
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Is it already spreading fast?
Though slow to pick pace, the XEC variant, which originated in Germany in June, has seen spreading infection in the US, UK and China. In total, at least 27 countries have reported the variant in their regions, which include Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, and Portugal. More than 600 people have reportedly been infected, of which close to 118 cases are in the US, followed by 92 in Germany as of September 19 morning.
Symptoms remain mild
Since all the new variants have originated from Omicron, their symptoms remain similar to it, which are, luckily, often mild. Fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, difficulty in breathing, muscle and body pain, headache, nausea, and diarrhea are some of the common symptoms of XEC as they have been with other Omicron variants. People in high-risk populations are more likely to develop severe disease if not careful beforehand. These include people over the age of 65, people with underlying medical conditions (such as diabetes or heart disease), and people who are immunocompromised.
Preventable by vaccine?
The Covid vaccines found on the market currently have been updated on the basis of KP.2 strain of the virus. However, the virus is evolving faster than vaccines are updating and may change with mutations. Experts are not sure about the effectiveness of the latest Covid vaccine, but it can still protect vulnerable populations from hospitalisation and severe disease.
Should we be worried?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and national health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, urging continued vigilance and adherence to public health guidelines. However, there has been no indication of increased severity in this variant and prevalent vaccines should be enough to protect against hospitalisation, say experts. There is no need for immediate worry as long as the suitable precautions are taken in areas where infection is on the rise.
As of now, XEC is not classified as a ‘variant of concern’ that warrants any extra precaution or pro-active action. The XEC variant has at least one mutation in its spike protein. While these mutations may potentially make XEC more transmissible or better able to evade immunity, it’s unclear whether XEC will outcompete other variants. It looks to be behaving the way many of these other omicron subvariants have behaved. So far, no alarm bells have gone off regarding XEC.
