Fears have been raised that two new Covid variants linked to a sudden rise in cases worldwide could be “harder to stop” due to increased immunity against existing vaccines. Health experts have warned the FLiRT strain, of which there are two subvariants, could be linked to a “major surge” in Covid diagnoses.
Dubbed FLiRT after the technical name for its mutation, it is linked to the new KP.2 and KP.1.1 variants.
KP.2 currently makes up for around a quarter of all Covid cases in the US, and is thought to have the potential to become the dominant variant there.
Its sister, KP.1.1 now accounts for 7.5 percent of positive cases in the country.
This comes as the latest figures from the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) show a 15.7 percent increase in confirmed Covid cases in England for the seven days up to April 24, compared to the week prior.
A warning has been issued by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which explained how new iterations of the virus can be resistant to the vaccines we currently have.
A spokesman said: “Viruses constantly change through mutation and sometimes these mutations result in a new variant of the virus.
“Some changes and mutations allow the virus to spread more easily or make it resistant to treatments or vaccines.
“As the virus spreads, it may change and become harder to stop.”
And Dr Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, advised that KP.2 could be particularly difficult to prevent.
Speaking to Prevention, he said: “It looks like KP.2 is less infectious than JN.1 but more immune evasive, which is why it’s increasing in prevalence.”
However, it is still important to get vaccinated. Dr William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, said: “It may be off to the side a little bit in regards to protection from the vaccine.
“Protection is not zero, but it’s not quite as good as it was before.”
As reported by the Daily Star, Dr Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, claimed that FLiRT will be responsible for a “major surge” in cases.
But despite the virus having evolved over the last four years, the symptoms seem to have remained largely the same.
The NHS lists symptoms of Covid as:
- A high temperature or shivering (chills)
- A new, continuous cough
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- A blocked or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick or being sick.
Most people feel better within a few days or weeks of their first COVID-19 symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks.
Although there are no longer isolation rules in place in the UK, if you test positive the NHS recommends staying home and avoiding contact with others for five days.
The spring 2024 COVID-19 booster vaccination programme has just started and those eligible for a jab can visit the NHS vaccine booking webpage or the NHS app to book their appointment.
Eligible groups include adults aged 75 years and over by June 30, 2024, residents in care homes for older adults, and individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
Vaccinations will end on June 30.