The new Covid variant is named and is a recombinant variant, which means it is formed when two existing strains of the virus combine – and the new strain is ‘wiping out’ people who catch it
A GP has sounded the alarm over a new Covid variant which is sweeping the UK and “wipes you out.”
Dr Helen Wall, a General Practitioner, has described the latest strain, XEC, as more severe than some of its predecessors, likening it to flu with more intense symptoms. The XEC coronavirus variant is rapidly spreading worldwide and is poised to become the predominant strain, according to Dr Wall, who serves as the clinical director of population health in Greater Manchester.
Speaking to the MEN she highlighted an uptick in respiratory infections linked to the new variant’s emergence. She warned: “We do see generally a rise in respiratory infections this time of year. There is another Covid variant on the scene which is expected to become the most dominant, and is becoming more prevalent like all the variants before it.
“We don’t completely know if it makes it more or less transmissible, I suspect more because they always are. But we don’t know what the situation is.”
XEC is identified as a recombinant variant, emerging when two strains merge, potentially in a person infected with both at the same time. This particular variant is a combination of the KP. 3.3 and KS. 1.1 strains, sharing genetic characteristics with omicron, the highly contagious but less severe variant first detected in South Africa in 2021.
Experts are raising concerns that “XEC appears to have a growth advantage and is spreading faster than other circulating variants, suggesting it will become the dominant variant globally in the next few months”.
The GP, from Bolton, has observed that recent coronavirus cases seem more flu-like compared to previous strains. She explained: “We could well be seeing the new Covid variant in practice. At the moment, it seems to be a bit more flu-like than previous iterations of Covid, with a high temperature, a cough, aching body, headache.
“Some of the symptoms in the past were more cough and cold symptoms, but at the moment, Covid does seem to be wiping people out. But whether that’s Covid is really difficult to say because a lot of the symptoms blur together with other illnesses that are prevalent at this time of year.
“Whether it’s Covid versus flu is hard to separate. People who have the flu tend to be extremely unwell. Sometimes, people say they’ve got the flu but have actually got a bad cold. Generally, if you’ve got true flu, you’re bed bound. With Covid, you might actually be quite well. You might be coughing and having other symptoms, but able to go about your business and you might be unintentionally spreading it to people who are vulnerable.”
The doctor is advocating for vaccinations against what the NHS has termed the “tripledemic” of winter ailments. This year, the NHS is rolling out the latest weapons in the fight against winter bugs, including the new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine alongside Covid and flu shots.
Recognising the jab fatigue among the public following aches and soreness post-vaccination, she cautions about the far worse repercussions of skipping jabs. On the matter, she commented: “Three vaccines is a lot, and some people might think it’s just another thing to worry about, or get the new RSV jab but then not get the Covid and flu jabs too.”
Addressing the concerns of those juggling jobs amid a cost-of-living squeeze, she noted: “The difficulty is that people are working, there’s a cost-of-living crisis people don’t want to be off work to get a vaccine or if they’re feeling a little unwell because of any side effects. But I’d encourage people to keep in mind the bigger picture.”
She added reassurance by stating: “Most vaccine side effects go within a few hours to 24 hours, around half of the people who get a vaccine won’t get side effects at all. If you get any of these illnesses, you’ll be off work for much longer.”
In an appeal to those eligible, she urged: “If you’ve been deemed eligible for these vaccines, it’s because we think you’re going to be very ill if you get these and end up in hospital. It’s about keeping that in perspective, you don’t want to look back and wish you’d had the jabs.”
