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The British Health Security Agency announced at the end of March that it had discovered a recombinant variant of Covid-19, called XE. Should we be worried about this new appearance? “There is no reason to panic” tempers Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
The Covid-19 epidemic continues and brings new things every day. The latest comes from the British Health Security Agency, which announces that it has discovered a new variant of the Covid-19 virus.
An association between BA.1 and BA.2
Baptized XE, this new variant results from an association between the sub-variants of Omicron, BA.1 and BA.2. At the end of March, the English health authority identified 637 cases of contamination with this new variant. However, she wants to be reassuring, explaining that she had not seen any “serious cases”.
More contagious but less virulent
This XE variant combines two fairly contagious variants and seems to have gained strength in this aspect. For Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo: “if this new variant is more contagious, it is also surely less virulent”.
Is there cross-immunity? “It’s possible” explains Dr. Kierzek, “but it is unclear whether a person affected by BA.1, for example, will be protected for this new variant”.
Recall that the symptoms given by the BA.1 and BA.2 variants from Omicron are relatively weak, with a slight fever, cough, fatigue and less loss of smell and taste than in previous versions of the virus. .
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How effective is the vaccine?
With each new variant, the question of the effectiveness of vaccines arises. “We don’t yet know about this new variant, but chances are the vaccine will still work. Afterwards, we are on less virulent viruses, with minor infections most of the time, so this is less of a problem” emphasizes Dr. Kierzek again. “As I always say, don’t panic at the slightest warning!“.