Reports about an 'American Covid' strain, first detected and sequenced in the US, have sparked alarm. However, the variant, also known as Stratus or XFG, has been circulating in the UK and other countries for the last year and is currently the most common strain.
What do experts say about the variant?
Dr Alex Allen, a consultant epidemiologist with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said there had been a lot of interest in the so-called American strain. He added: “That has been circulating in some form or another in the UK for over a year now, and it’s only in the last couple of months we’ve actually seen this increased activity.”
Variants have genetic mutations which could theoretically allow them to better evade immunity from past infections or vaccinations. But Dr Allen said: “There’s nothing particularly in the evidence or data that suggests that this American strain, or XFG, is more likely to cause severe illness.”
He added: “In fact, the current running autumn vaccination programme has vaccines that are specifically targeted against the XFG strain, so we’d be expecting that to have a significant protective effect.”
What is happening with Covid infections in the UK?
The UKHSA’s first weekly winter respiratory virus surveillance report, published this week, showed Covid activity was increasing and above baseline, but still at low levels. Dr Allen said: “We have seen over the last two months or so an increase in Covid positivity, which is the proportion of tests that come back positive for Covid.”
He noted: “An increase in Covid around this time of year is not particularly unexpected, there has been a peak here for the last few years and it started from a much lower baseline of activity. Even though it has been increasing for the last couple of months, it has still not reached the levels we’ve seen in previous years.”
Are vaccines still needed?
Vaccines remain the best defence against severe disease and hospitalisation caused by Covid for those who are vulnerable. People with weakened immune systems and the elderly are more likely to suffer serious illness. The immunity generated by vaccines wanes over time, which is why the NHS offers an annual booster programme.
Dr Allen said: “If you are eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine it is because you are at greater risk of severe illness and being hospitalised. Don’t risk it, get the vaccine and give yourself the best protection.”
This autumn, Covid vaccinations are being offered to adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed aged six months and over. Immunosuppressed groups are outlined in the UKHSA’s Covid-19 Green Book, and include organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients; people living with HIV; those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy; and people with genetic disorders affecting the immune system.
Members of the public who are eligible for a free vaccine can check their eligibility and book an appointment through the NHS App, online, or by contacting their GP practice or a local pharmacy.
What are the symptoms of Covid?
Although reports may claim certain variants are associated with unusual symptoms, the key list of signs to look for remains the same. The NHS lists the following symptoms of Covid-19: a high temperature, 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, and feeling sick or being sick.
Most people can no longer order lateral flow tests for Covid for free from the NHS. There is a limited list of people who are at the highest risk of serious illness who are eligible for NHS tests, which can be collected from pharmacies. People who work in certain healthcare settings may also be able to get free lateral flow tests, depending on their job role and whether they have symptoms. Swab tests that produce a result within minutes are available to purchase from most high street pharmacies and some supermarkets.
