Nieves Sebastian Mongares
The XEC subvariant of Covid-19 advances strongly in Europe. As happens with other respiratory viruses, and has already been recorded in past seasons with this coronavirus, new mutations to overcome community-acquired immunity so that the virus can continue to find hosts.
In the case of the XEC subvariant, as explained by Dr. María del Mar Tomásmicrobiologist at Hospital of A Coruña and spokesperson for the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC) “In principle, this variant comes from the most common on the European and American continents, which were KS1.1 and KP3.3.” However, Dr. Tomás sends a reassuring message stating that “in principle, At the level of patient involvement, comorbidity and mortality, there is no scientific evidence that makes a difference with respect to the previous ones.”. In fact, with what is known so far, the microbiologist points out that ““A priori it would not entail a greater risk nor would it have to entail a health crisis.”
Regarding the recent increase in hospitalizations, Dr. Tomás explains that “maybe, as the immunity of previous subvariants is lost over timeit can expand rapidly as it has done rapidly in the United States and Europe, which It started in Germany in June and has reached 11 countrieswhich is what suggests that it will be predominant in the coming months.”
Symptoms and vaccination
“You have to give a message of tranquility since in principle it does not seem that it will give any different symptoms than the previous one; will have a pattern of flu symptoms such as headache, loss of taste and there may be significant fatigue,” develops Dr. Tomás.
What the microbiologist does emphasize is that it is necessary “send a message that, In patients who have underlying pathologies and are scheduled for vaccination, recommend that they get vaccinated against both Covid-19 and the flu.”. In this regard, Dr. Tomás points out that “There are updated vaccines for the latest subvariants that would serve as protection for XEC, that is, those that would be useful are those from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax.”
Dr. Tomás remembers that thanks to immunization “with avoid risks of hospitalization in older people or the alteration of underlying diseases due to Covid-19, which is what has happened with other subvariants.”
Risks and income due to Covid-19
Regarding the increase in hospitalizations that several countries have reported, Dr. Tomás points to several reasons. “Now all the seasonal viruses have arrived“At the moment we are not seeing an increase in positive PCR for Covid-19, so we have to see how the flu behaves and how Covid-19 and flu are going to compete with others such as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)” . And precisely this, considers the microbiologist, “may be behind increase in income, the combination of respiratory viruses added to the change in temperatures”.
Dr. Tomás calls for symptoms such as fatigue and dyspnea to be taken into account, especially in older patients or those with comorbidities, which is what can lead to admissions.
Within this tone of calm, Dr. Tomás does focus on “in more vulnerable patients or with more comorbidities symptoms such as extreme fatigue and shortness of breath must be taken into accountwhich is what may indicate that the patient requires hospital admission.” Other symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat or loss of taste and smell may be related to other respiratory diseases. But, taking into account the risks derived from fatigue and dyspnea, Dr. Tomás details that “that’s why you have to vaccinate, to precisely prevent reaching that point and causing pneumoniasince with immunization the risks are reduced.”
Dr. Tomás remembers that these types of situations will be common every season. “The Immunity is altered and every year there will be a risk of infection from these new subvariantsand in older and vulnerable patients who will be at risk of dyspnea, they will have to protect themselves every year; collective protection must be promoted.”