- A recent uptick in COVID-19 cases has been linked to a new Omicron subvariant XFG known colloquially as “Stratus.”
- New CDC data indicate that “Stratus” has become the predominant variant in the United States.
- As of August 5, CDC data shows that COVID-19 cases are rising in 45 states.
- In light of recent changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, understanding how symptoms of the disease present can help minimize transmission.
Forecasting models from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that COVID-19 infection rates are
This late-summer surge in cases is likely driven by a new Omicron variant, XFG, dubbed the new “Stratus” variant.
First detected in January in Southeast Asia, the XFG variant began spreading globally. In June, XFG was detected in 38 countries, accounting for 22% of COVID-19 cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) then classified it as a “variant under monitoring.”
By August 13,
New CDC data also show that COVID-19 test positivity rates have increased by 8.6%, but hospitalizations from the respiratory illness remain low.
Surges in SARS-CoV-2 infection rates are typically driven by highly transmissible mutations and waning immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
“We are settling into COVID being a more seasonal respiratory virus,” said Rishi Khakhkhar, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Counsel Health and an emergency physician at Mount Sinai.
“This will come with upticks of infections and, unfortunately, hospitalizations, though severe disease is much less common than in the initial waves of the pandemic because the vast majority of Americans have had COVID at least once by now,” Khakhkhar told Healthline.
Even as current COVID-19 vaccinations could offer protection against the new variant, new public health policies around vaccines could limit access.
For instance, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently pulled $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development programs.
The Health Secretary also announced earlier this spring that the CDC will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people and young children. Along those lines, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will no longer approve updated COVID-19 vaccines for people under 65.
According to a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine, exceptions will be made for children and adults with at least one health condition that could put them at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
“High-risk and immunocompromised individuals in particular should make sure to stay current on the latest COVID vaccination,” Khakhkhar said.
Symptoms of COVID-19 often resemble those of common respiratory illnesses like the flu, but may also include a broad range.
Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, explained that the symptoms of the ever-evolving Omicron variants are similar to those associated with other SARS-CoV-2 strains.
“There is no evidence that the symptoms caused by [new variants] differ from the symptoms caused by other Omicron subvariants,” Gandhi said. “The symptoms seem to be the same as with other recent subvariants of Omicron.”
A 2020 study suggested that common COVID-19 symptoms start in a particular order, but as the virus has evolved, the symptoms of the respiratory illness have become more varied.
In general, COVID-19 symptoms may include upper respiratory tract symptoms such as:
- fever
- coughing
- sneezing
- runny nose
Other common COVID-19 symptoms may include headache and muscle or body aches. In some cases, COVID-19 infection may lead to
If you display any of the above symptoms and test positive for COVID-19, you may have contracted one of the new subvariants. It’s a good idea to let other people you’ve recently been in contact with know.
COVID-19 symptoms usually resolve without medical intervention. Some ways to reduce discomfort caused by symptoms include:
- rest
- plenty of fluids
- over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers
If your symptoms persist, you should see a healthcare professional for treatment. They may prescribe you the antiviral therapy Paxlovid if your symptoms are still within five days of the original onset.
In severe cases of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization may be required.
Gandhi added that immunocompromised individuals, older adults, and people who are not immune to the virus could develop more severe lower respiratory tract symptoms like pneumonia. If you’re immunocompromised, test positive for COVID-19, and develop symptoms, you should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Children and adults who’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 are likely protected against severe illness from Omicron subvariants, including the “Stratus” variant.
The
“I am not very concerned about the new variant because COVID-19 is not an eradicable virus, so we will always see new subvariants,” Gandhi said.
“However, we have high rates of population immunity in the United States at this time. Memory B cells —
Gandhi explained that both COVID-19 vaccines and natural infection trigger the production of T cells.
“B cells serve as memory banks to produce antibodies when needed [and] T cells both help B cells make antibodies and help recruit cells to attack the pathogen directly. T cell immunity from the vaccines remains protective across variants, ‘from alpha to Omicron.’ Our T cell response, even across a mutated spike protein, is so robust that we have not seen