Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Coronavirus, Health
Jess Battison
Public health experts have issued urgent advice to Brits as cases of new Covid strain infections reportedly rise.
Yep, over five years on since we were first in lockdown (if you can believe it’s been that long) there are apparently new strains of Covid doing the rounds in the UK.
We’re already gearing up for the delights of cold and flu season as the weather cools at this time of year, but officials are warning of XFG, also known as ‘Stratus’, and NB.1.8.1, referred to as ‘Nimbus’.
These are the most common variants of the virus now reportedly circulating, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said positivite cases have risen from 7.6 to 8.4 percent in only a week.
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It is important to know that the Covid strains apparently don’t appear to pose any bigger threat than previous types or make people feel more ill.
However, the recent genetic changes the virus has acquired could mean that infections are more likely.
Reports suggest there are some tell-tale symptoms with Stratus and Nimbus, such as a ‘razor blade’ sore throat or a hoarse voice.
But the variants still also carry the classic range of Covid symptoms such as coughing, a blocked or running nose, a headache and exhaustion. So, there’s still the difficulty for people to distinguish it from just a cold or the flu.
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Predictably, the UKHSA is urging people to book their vaccinations against flu and common winter virus RSV, as cases in general begin to rise as we approach the winter months.
"It's normal for viruses to mutate and change, and as more data becomes available on these variants, we'll have a better understanding of how they interact with our immune systems and how to optimise our protection, as well as actions we can take to keep the most vulnerable safe and live our lives as normally as possible," says the UKHSA.
“The most important thing is for those eligible to get their vaccination when it is due."
And Consultant Epidemologist at UKHSA, Dr Alex Allen, added: “Based on the available information so far, there is no evidence to suggest that the variants cause more severe disease or that the vaccines in current use will be less effective against them."
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While it’s no longer mandatory to isolate if you test positive for Covid, the UKHSA still suggest people to do so.
Anyone else feeling a sense of déjà vu?