Health authorities in Wales are warning vulnerable individuals to get their Covid booster jab this autumn as a new highly contagious variant, XEC, threatens to become dominant in the country. The XEC variant has been described as “rapidly spreading,” raising concerns of a potential surge in Covid cases in the upcoming weeks. Despite its high transmission rate, experts believe that the autumn booster vaccine should provide a significant level of protection against XEC. This is because the booster has been specifically formulated to target the JN.1 variant, from which XEC originated.
The vaccine alliance Gavi announced that the campaign for the autumn booster in the UK will commence in October, featuring an updated vaccine tailored towards the JN.1 variant, providing substantial protection against severe illness. Booster jabs will be available from October 3 to December 20, primarily targeting vulnerable groups, including individuals aged over 65, those with underlying health conditions, residents in care homes for the elderly, and frontline healthcare and social-care workers. Eligible individuals will be contacted by the NHS, but they can also proactively schedule their appointments through various channels like the NHS App, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, or by calling 119. Those eligible for the flu jab will also be offered it simultaneously with the booster.
As Covid cases are on the rise again in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency reported a 31.5% increase in cases in England within a week, reaching 2,213 cases in the seven days up to September 18. The XEC strain, first identified in Germany, has spread to 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, with over 600 global cases, including 82 confirmed cases in the UK. Health experts have expressed concerns that XEC could soon dominate as a global variant due to its high transmissibility and growth advantage over other circulating variants.
XEC is believed to have originated from a recombination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants, both descendants of the JN.1 strain that was prevalent earlier this year. The mutation in the spike protein of XEC, inherited from its parent variants, is considered a key factor contributing to its transmissibility. Symptoms of XEC are similar to other strains of Covid and include high temperature, cough, loss of sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, headache, sore throat, and gastrointestinal issues. If individuals experience symptoms, they are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others.
In conclusion, the introduction of the autumn booster vaccine targeting the JN.1 variant offers hope in mitigating the spread of the rapidly spreading XEC variant. Vulnerable individuals are encouraged to take proactive measures by getting vaccinated to protect themselves and prevent further escalation of Covid cases in Wales and beyond.