Popsugar Fitness Health What is the new variant of COVID Omicron XE?
What you should know about XE, the new variant of COVID

April 14, 2022
by ANGELICE WILSON

Virus variant, coronavirus, spike protein. Omicron. Covid-19 can be seen under a microscope. SARS-CoV-2, 3D rendering

XE is the latest variant of COVID on our radar. It was first discovered in the United Kingdom and since then, according to the CNBC, has reached Thailand, India and Israel. On March 26, Japan reported the first case of an asymptomatic American variant arriving at Narita International Airport. According to a report in The Japan Times, he tested positive for XE during a “routine check”.

A “small number” of cases of the new variant have been found in the US, a CDC spokesman told Verify. Although there is no clear word on how fast XE is spreading around the world, the WHO has said it is currently monitoring XE “as part of the Omicron variant.” Here’s what we still know.

What is Omicron COVID variant?
It is a recombinant omicron variant of BA.1 and BA.2 (“stealth omicron”), according to a contribution from the British Health Safety Agency (UKHSA). Recombinants occur when an individual is simultaneously exposed to two or more variants of COVID. “Recombinant variants are not uncommon, especially when there are many variants in circulation and much is known about the current pandemic,” said Susan Hopkins, UKHSA’s chief medical officer. – as in the post. Is the XE COVID-19 variant serious?
According to the UKHSA, the XE variant currently has a growth rate of 9.8 percent higher than BA.2. At present, however, UKHSA health professionals have not yet determined whether the growth rate means that XE is another option to replace. “There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the viability, severity or efficacy of the vaccine,” Hopkins told CNBC.

Where is variant XE reported? As of 19 January, 637 cases of XE had been reported in the United Kingdom. According to the CNBC, this number has risen to 1125 in the United Kingdom since April 5. The variant has also been reported in Thailand, India, Israel and Japan, as mentioned above. And a small number of cases have reached the United States. UKHSA “will, of course, monitor the situation for the time being, as [they] do all the data on SARS-CoV-2 variants both in the UK and internationally. The organization recommends vaccination as a primary step to prevent serious illness from potential COVID infection.