All about XEC, the latest spread of COVID-19 in the USA

So what is the XEC COVID-19 variant and how concerned should you be about it? Infectious disease doctors break it down.

What is the XEC variant?

The XEC variant is the latest COVID-19 variant being tracked worldwide. “It is one of the Omicron variants and appears to be reasonably contagious,” says Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

The data shows that XEC is a hybrid of the Omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3. (In case you're not familiar, KP.3.3. is an offshoot of KP.3, one of the FLiRT variants that were widely available this summer.)

XEC has multiple mutations in the spike protein that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) uses to attach to your cells and infect you. Therefore, it may be more contagious than other newer strains.

“As with any SARS-CoV-2 variant that emerges – and will emerge in the future – the spread is linked to the evolution of the virus to develop new mutations that allow it to overcome some of the damage caused by previous infections and vaccinations evade induced immunity,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Where was the XEC variant discovered?

Currently, it has been detected in the United States and Europe, with the number of cases increasing more slowly. According to a WHO report, the variant has not been detected in African, eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asian regions.

“I expect that if it is a more suitable version of SARS-CoV-2, it will probably dominate most countries,” says Dr. Adalya. “However, the time frame will be different in each country.”

Symptoms of the XEC COVID-19 variant

XEC is still a newer variant of COVID-19 and therefore no new symptoms have been reported. These are the biggest symptoms of COVID-19, according to the CDC:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Stuffy or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• fatigue
• Muscle or body pain
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Does the new COVID vaccine protect against XEC?

You can now receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine, but this vaccine was formulated based on the KP.2 virus strain. KP.2 is related to XEC, but there are many differences between them.

“It is unclear how the updated vaccine will perform against this variant,” says Dr. Adalya. “However, due to the biological properties of XEC, it is unlikely to be well suited and does not provide long-term protection against infection.” However, Dr. Adalja said the vaccine will continue to “protect high-risk individuals from serious illness.”

How to protect yourself from the XEC COVID-19 variant

The CDC currently recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness and complications from the virus. If you are at high risk of serious complications from the virus, Dr. Conductor to get it now.

However, if you are an otherwise healthy person and virus levels are lower in your area, he says “October is an excellent time to get vaccinated against COVID” because it can help extend your protection through the winter.

Wearing a mask (like a KN95 or N95) in crowded indoor spaces and while traveling can also help reduce the risk of infection, says Dr. Conductor.

Dr. Adalja recommends having COVID tests available at home (and using them if symptoms occur) and contacting a doctor to take an antiviral medication such as Paxlovid if you are at high risk and become infected.

But Dr. Adalja also recommends keeping in mind that COVID-19 isn't going away, which is why it's important to be prepared that you will interact with it at some point. “This is an endemic respiratory virus and will always be present,” he says.

This article is correct at the time of printing. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves and the scientific community's understanding of the novel coronavirus increases, some of the information may have changed since the last update. While we strive to keep all of our stories up to date, please visit the online resources provided by the CDC, WHOand you local health department to stay informed about the latest news. Always speak to your doctor to seek professional medical advice.