New FLiRT Covid variant could put a dampener on summer, doctors warn

Doctors have issued a warning.

New Covid variants are spreading across the UK – and doctors have issued a warning about a potential summer wave as millions attend festivals and gather at pubs.

In April, a group of new virus strains known as the FLiRT variants (inspired by the technical names of their mutations) emerged. And it is believed they are largely responsible for a rise in UK infections.

Hospital admissions rose 24% in the third week of June alone, with many attributing the spike to the new variant KP.3– part of the FLiRT family, along with KP.2 and KP.1.1.

The KP.3 variant is a subvariant of the highly contagious Omicron strain, and along with other variants makes up for over 69% of cases in the US.

KP.3 accounted for 33.1% of infections in the United States by June 8 – and now it’s hitting the UK.

It seems that everyone knows someone who has come down with Covid symptoms in the past few weeks: sore throats, headaches, persistent coughs and fatigue.

And health experts are warning that these new variants are only getting better at spreading.

NHS GP Dr Mariyam Malik told The Independent: ‘The FLiRT variant has specific changes in its spike protein that might make it spread more easily and dodge immunity from past infections or vaccines.

‘Similarly, the LB.1 variant has mutations that help it spread and possibly weaken the protection we get from previous immunity, making these variants different from earlier versions of the virus.’

Dr Malik added that viruses are more likely to spread now that we no longer have legal restrictions such as social distancing and mandatory masks.

It’s a warning echoed by others in the medical field.

Virologist Professor Lawrence Young of Warwick University told the i: ‘This is a wakeup call. The virus hasn’t gone away and is certainly not a seasonal infection.

‘A combination of new, more infectious virus variants and waning immunity is very likely contributing to these increased levels of infection.

‘The hope is that this will not result in a big wave of infection but we need to keep a close watch.’

The UK Health Security Agency also said in May: ‘UKHSA is continuing to monitor data relating to new variants both in the UK and internationally, assessing their severity and the ongoing effectiveness of vaccines. There is no change to the wider public health advice at this time.

‘At these early stages our scientists at the Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC) are busy growing a stock of the JN.1 variant in our high containment facilities, so that we can begin testing.’

In March, a new study concluded that Covid-19 most likely originated in a lab.

The origin of the pandemic has long been contentious. Some believe the virus was a ‘zoonotic spillover event’ and spread from animals to humans, possibly at the wet market in Wuhan, China, where the disease was first reported.

Where can I get a Covid test?

According to Gov.UK, it is no longer possible to order free rapid lateral flow or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests from the NHS online.

Both types of Covid tests can still be purchased in shops and pharmacies, including online.

People with underlying health conditions, or those who work in healthcare or hospices, may still be able to get free lateral flow tests from a pharmacy.

What are the latest Covid isolation rules?

No Covid restrictions are in force in the UK in 2024, but the Government still advises people to stay at home after testing positive.

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