Virologists from Johns Hopkins University have warned about the presence of new variants of the Chinese COVID-19 viruswhich affected millions of people in the world in 2019 and its subsequent years.
According to the report, shared on May 13, it indicates that there is a family of variants identified as FLiRT of COVID-19, which are already present in the United States population.
These variants, including the so-called KP.2, are gaining ground and account for around 28% of infectionssurpassing the JN.1 variant as the dominant one, according to university reports.
Features of FLiRT variants
The FLiRT variants, including KP.2, JN.1.7 and others, They belong to the omicron family and are characterized by being highly transmissible, according to doctor William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University.
Although they spread easily, so far do not appear to cause more serious illnesswhich has generated some relief among experts.
Andy Pekosz, professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins, notes that Symptoms of FLiRT variants do not differ significantly from previous variants of omicron. The incubation period and duration of symptoms remain similar, with the possibility of detecting live virus up to a week after the onset of symptoms.
As for protection against these new variants, Pekosz suggests that prior infection with the JN.1 variant provides strong protection, but immunity acquired through previous variants may be less effective.
Although specific studies have not yet been done on the FLiRT variants, the Infectious Diseases Society of America maintains that the COVID-19 vaccines remain effective to prevent serious cases of the disease.
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