A new COVID variant, XEC, has emerged in Germany, presenting symptoms that differ significantly from previous strains.

Francois Balloux from University College London noted that XEC has a slight transmission advantage over other circulating variants.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has indicated that both the ECDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) do not associate XEC with severe disease outcomes.

The XEC variant is expected to potentially become the dominant strain in the U.S., overtaking the KP 3.1.1 variant.

First reported in Germany during the summer, XEC is derived from the Omicron variant and has been linked to a spike in respiratory illnesses.

Common symptoms associated with the XEC strain include high temperature, aches, tiredness, cough, and sore throat.

The XEC variant is a recombination of two sublines, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, and while it may be more transmissible, it is not currently considered a public health threat.

Preliminary data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) suggests that the public health risk from XEC is considered low.

Current NHS guidance recommends that anyone testing positive for COVID-19 should avoid contact with others for at least five days.

Although self-isolation is no longer legally required in the UK, individuals are advised to minimize contact with vulnerable people for ten days after a positive test.

Experts emphasize that staying up to date with vaccinations and booster shots is crucial for protection against severe illness from the new strain.

The NHS is currently offering autumn COVID boosters to vulnerable groups, including those over 65 and frontline workers, from October 3 to December 20.