New 'Cicada' Covid Variant Could Dominate UK, Experts Urge Preschool Vaccination
Health officials have issued a stark warning that a new variant of Covid-19, dubbed the 'Cicada' variant, could soon become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom. This development has prompted leading experts to call for Covid vaccines to be included in preschool immunisation programmes to bolster protection among vulnerable populations.
Rapid Spread and Immune Evasion Concerns
The BA.3.2 virus, known as the 'Cicada' variant, is already spreading rapidly across the United States and has been detected in 23 other countries, including the UK. While UKHSA bosses have not disclosed the exact number of cases identified in Britain so far, virologists are deeply concerned about the variant's mutations, which may allow it to sidestep immune defenses provided by existing vaccines.
Analysis suggests the variant's spike protein has undergone approximately 75 mutations, making it an entirely new threat to the immune system. Symptoms remain similar to the original virus, including extreme fatigue, fever, and body aches, but school-aged children appear to be more susceptible to this strain.
Expert Criticisms and Vaccination Gaps
Professor Stephen Griffin, a viral oncologist at the University of Leeds, attributes part of the risk to what he describes as 'short-sighted' advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The committee previously made vaccines 'optional' for children, a decision that Professor Griffin argues failed to account for the risks of reinfection and juvenile long Covid.
'At present the dynamics of this virus don't appear consistent with a fast-growing epidemic wave, more of a slow-building one we saw last year,' Professor Griffin stated. 'Nevertheless, more infection means more rolls of the dice and a greater chance that more advantageous changes may occur.'
He emphasised that many people remain relatively unprotected by vaccines and called for regular boosters with expanded eligibility. 'In my view, Covid vaccines should be included in the preschool regimens, with boosters as per influenza,' he concluded.
Public Health Impact and Current Situation
Professor Paul Hunter, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, offered a nuanced perspective, noting that while new variants can increase infection rates, they do not necessarily lead to a substantial additional disease burden. 'It is likely that any new variant that is able to out-compete the other variants will increase infection rates but that does not mean that this will necessarily lead to substantial additional burden of the disease,' he explained.
This is partly because such mutations do not inherently help the virus spread more easily. However, experts highlight a critical issue: vaccination rates are continuing to fall across the population. Professor Griffin added, 'We must remember that severe acute Covid is far less likely nowadays thanks to our vaccines, but this protection will be best when that vaccination is recent.'
Currently, there is a high degree of 'mismatch' between BA.3.2 and current vaccines, which may result in more infections across the population. Yet, experts reassure that 'at present we don't seem to be on the brink of a pandemic.'
Historical Context and Current Policies
Offering Covid jabs to children during the pandemic was controversial, with some studies suggesting two doses offered just 10 per cent protection against certain strains. Initially, the JCVI ruled against vaccinating certain groups of healthy children, citing a vanishingly low risk of severe illness. However, their position later evolved to approve jabs to protect schooling and prevent educational disruptions.
Since then, ministers have repeatedly stated they will not impose lockdowns unless a doomsday Covid variant emerges. A wall of immunity built through repeated infection waves and vaccine rollouts has given officials confidence to consign pandemic-era measures to history.
Despite this, spikes in Covid cases can still cause mass illness, sparking chaos in schools, the health service, and public transport. Officials no longer track virus prevalence as rigorously as before. According to the latest figures, only 2 per cent of cases in England are linked to the BA.3.2 strain, with overall Covid cases remaining low at less than 500 reported in the UK.
