XBB.1.5: What you need to know about the Kraken variant of COVID-19

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As the United States enters its fourth year of COVID-19, a new variant called XBB.1.5 has emerged.

This variant rose rapidly in December, from about 1% of cases nationwide to 43% as of January 13, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Natasha Tuznik, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at UC Davis, explains what you need to know about XBB.1.5, including symptoms and vaccine effectiveness.

How is the XBB.1.5 option different from previous COVID-19 options?

XBB.1.5., now called the “Kraken”, is the result of two variants of the BA.2 omicron. Johns Hopkins research indicates that this variant has a stronger ability to bind to the target host receptor. This makes it more effective at spreading and contagiousness. So far, the World Health Organization (WHO) has named it the most contagious strain of all variants of COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of the XBB.1.5 variant? They are different?

According to available data, the symptoms are similar to previous strains with no signs of a more severe infection. Recent mutations of COVID-19 have resulted in less severe disease. This is because a virus must give up something, in this case its ability to cause harm, in order to survive.

How might the recent booster bivalent vaccine work against XBB.1.5?

The view of Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and treating physician for the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, showed that the updated bivalent booster vaccine may not be any more effective than the original monovalent vaccine. This included a new booster immunization not demonstrating a markedly higher humoral response against newer omicron variants including BQ.1, BQ1.1, XBB and XBB.1.5.

This does NOT mean that the vaccine is ineffective, just that bivalent boosters may not be more effective than the original monovalent vaccine. However, bivalent booster therapy is still important for those at highest risk of severe disease. This includes those aged 65 and over, as well as those who are immunocompromised. Even a small additional increase in antibody production is critical for them.

Finally, boosters will continue to help as antibody production from both natural infection and vaccination declines over time.

How can people avoid contracting COVID?

These things remain important for people to avoid COVID-19:

  • Get a vaccination
  • Avoid crowded places, especially enclosed spaces
  • Wash your hands often
  • Consider wearing a mask, especially for people at high risk (e.g. immunocompromised)

Find out what you can and can’t wear with a mask

Why is it better to avoid contracting COVID-19?

There are several reasons why it is important to avoid contracting COVID-19. Infection puts you at risk of serious illness, potential hospitalization and death, especially if you are in a high-risk group and have not been vaccinated. An unvaccinated person is reported to be 10 to 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than a vaccinated person.

Also, if more people become seriously ill, it could put an unnecessary strain on an already overburdened hospital system. The current strains are also better at bypassing our immune defenses compared to previous strains. Therefore, your risk of reinfection is higher. Contagion also exposes vulnerable populations to unnecessary risk of infection, including serious illness, hospitalization and death.

Finally, you can get long COVID. There is currently too much unknown as to who is more likely to get long-term COVID, but the risk of developing this chronic condition after infection is very real. Millions of people have developed this and are suffering for many months, including time and money lost due to being unable to work.

Read more: 9 Things We’ve Learned About COVID Truckers So Far

Can we get closer to the end of COVID?

COVID-19 is unlikely to disappear completely. There are many more unknown variables. Virologists are wondering if it will behave like other coronaviruses, many of which cause the common cold. It may eventually reappear seasonally, as it does with most of our viruses.

In previous epidemics, viruses eventually reach a saturation threshold, meaning that a large proportion of the population will be or have already been infected. At this point, when the virus infects fewer people, the epidemic will naturally decrease.

Let’s hope this equates to an endemic and not a pandemic. An endemic is a disease that still exists, but at a more manageable level, for example, without causing spikes in mortality. Instead, the disease is more manageable in terms of not overburdening the system. The hope is that if COVID-19 is not eliminated, it will become more like the common cold.

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