The COVID variant XEC is generating significant attention among health experts as it emerges as a potential dominant strain to monitor this fall. This variant, which shares a lineage with the Omicron variant, has been spreading throughout Europe over the summer and is anticipated to make inroads in the U.S., according to some researchers. XEC is reported to be even more contagious than its predecessors.
Experts are expressing their views on the implications of the XEC variant on the global stage. Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, indicated that XEC is just beginning to increase its presence both globally and in the U.S. He noted that it may take several weeks or even months for this variant to significantly establish itself and potentially trigger a new wave of infections.
Dr. Topol has been actively sharing updates on the variant via social media, suggesting that XEC might be the next variant to gain significant traction. Data presented by COVID analyst Mike Honey indicated that XEC first appeared in Berlin this summer and has since spread across various European countries, with notable growth observed in Denmark and Germany, followed by the UK and Netherlands.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst at FOX News and clinical professor at NYU Langone Medical Center, stated that XEC likely has a higher transmission rate and is associated with symptoms such as congestion, cough, loss of smell and appetite, sore throat, and body aches. He believes that the recent COVID vaccine should offer some level of protection against this new variant.
In tandem with these developments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the 2024-2025 season. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the new vaccines are expected to provide adequate protection against XEC due to the genetic similarities it shares with the original Omicron variant.
As the U.S. experiences a summer surge of COVID cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older for the upcoming fall season.