New COVID XEC variant emerges in Europe with mild symptoms
Summary: A new COVID variant called XEC is emerging, primarily spreading in Denmark, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, with some cases reported in the U.S. It is a recombinant variant that shows a growth advantage and may evade immunity.
Currently, the dominant variant in the U.S. is KP.3.1.1. Vaccines this fall are designed to target related subtypes, and experts believe they will offer some protection against XEC. Symptoms remain similar to previous COVID strains, with gastrointestinal issues noted in some cases.
The CDC has updated guidelines, allowing people with mild symptoms to return to normal activities after 24 hours of improvement. Free COVID test kits will be available for U.S. households starting in late September, ahead of the holiday season.
The article metrics are deprecated.
I'm replacing the original 8-factor scoring system with a new and improved one. It doesn't use the original factors and gives much better significance scores.