Scientists are warning of a "summer wave" of COVID-19 cases after a new group of Omicron subvariants was detected circulating in the U.S.
The new strains have been nicknamed "FLiRT" because of the positions of the mutations in their spike proteins. So what's new about these variants, and should we be concerned?
"FLiRT was first identified in wastewater in the U.S., but its precise origin is unknown," Lawrence Young, a virologist and professor of molecular oncology at the U.K.'s University of Warwick, told Newsweek. "[Now] the FLiRT variant is spreading in the U.S. and beyond."
Young said one of these new FLiRT variants, labeled KP.2, is responsible for 25 percent of new infections in the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "This is raising concerns that this variant could result in a summer wave of infection," he said.
Early evidence suggests that KP.2 may be more contagious than previous variants, but it is too early to know if it is more dangerous.
"We need to keep monitoring the spread of this variant, which is difficult given that current testing is very patchy," Young said. "The spread of new virus variants and waning immunity are a concern particularly for the most vulnerable—the elderly and those with an impaired immune system.
"While currently available vaccines are not a perfect match for these new variants, booster jabs should provide some protection, as does previous infection," he continued. [But] it is possible that these FLiRT variants will cause a small wave of infection over the next few months."
So what are the symptoms of these new variants?
As far as we know, symptoms are similar to those of existing circulating strains, as listed by the CDC. They include the following:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
To protect yourself from the new FLiRT variants, Young said, "the usual precautions need to be promoted."
"Test if you feel unwell, stay at home if you test positive, avoid mixing in crowded and poorly ventilated spaces, wear a face mask if you are in close proximity to people, such as on public transport," he said.
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