With two new cases of XE COVID variant being detected in Maharashtra and Gujarat, fresh scare of the 4th wave has left people worried. The XE variant is a combination of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has pointed out that the variant is 10% more transmissible than the BA.2. Though experts have pointed out that XE appears to be mild, they have warned against letting the guard down.
How severe is the XE variant?
Noting that the disease severity of XE appears to be mild, Dr Pavithra Venkatagopalan is the Director, Covid Task Force, Awareness, Rotary Club of Madras Next Gen, told Hindusthan Times, “We have to exercise caution before claiming this is what happens because we also have to take into account that a lot of people are now vaccinated many times over as compared to previous waves.”
“So far there is no much evidence to say that the disease caused by the XE variant is more severe and neither did they see an increase in the rate of hospitalisations or mortality. Further research and observations will be needed to prove the same,” added Dr Chetan Rao Vaddepally, Consultant Pulmonologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.
What are the symptoms of the COVID XE variant?
There is no evidence so far to say that the symptoms of XE variant are different from the already existing variants. The symptoms reported so far include – fatigue, lethargy, fever, headache, body pain, palpitations and heart issues.
Can the variant lead to the 4th wave?
Speaking on the next wave, Venkatagopalan notified whether XE will cause a new wave or a newer, different variant will cause a wave, we cannot predict. “During the lifetime of this pandemic, multiple variants have been identified, most of which have died out quickly.”
The variant has been circulating in the UK since 2022, but fewer severe cases have been reported. This means that the concern is low and moreover, people who were infected with the previous Omicron variant have enough antibodies to resist severe case of re-infection. Hence, the chances of witnessing another wave are low.
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