Is COVID surging this summer and what are the FLiRT variants?

People seem to know many others with COVID - and experts think the Euros might have played a part. What's happening now with case numbers new variants, and symptoms in this "summer wave"?

Tuesday 23 July 2024 14:56, UK

When Joe Biden announced he tested positive for COVID last week, he joined numerous others who got sick this summer.

It looks like everyone has a friend who's ill - and experts suggest the Euros as a possible reason.

But what's new with case numbers new variants - and which symptoms should we look out for?

What do we know about summer case numbers?
Mark Woolhouse, an infectious disease epidemiology professor at the University of Edinburgh, points out that reduced COVID surveillance makes it hard to track COVID waves, evaluate variant severity, and measure vaccine effectiveness.

Despite this, he notes a "widespread feeling" of a summer wave, which football-related gatherings boosted.

He adds, "New variants and partial loss of infection immunity keep driving these waves."

UK Health Security Agency data indicates COVID-related hospital admissions have remained high for weeks.

During the week leading up to July 14, hospital admissions for COVID-positive patients saw a small increase to 4.35 per 100,000 from 3.72 per 100,000 in the previous week.

Although England has stopped wastewater testing, data from Scotland can help us understand the situation in England.

The most recent Public Health Scotland (PHS) data for the week ending July 7 reported 1,245 COVID cases in Scotland.

Dr Kimberly Marsh told BBC Radio Scotland that early data for the week ending July 14 indicated cases had fallen to 1,130, which she described as "some early signs that this wave might have reached its peak".

Professor Christina Pagel, who belongs to Independent Sage and heads operational research at University College London, states that while Scotland and England can show "different patterns", the drop in cases in Scotland during July "points to a decline in prevalence".

What variants are making the rounds?
FLiRT is the name given to the latest group of COVID variants.

JN.1, which has its roots in Omicron, gave rise to these variants.

The FLiRT variants have mutations in common that might help the virus dodge protection from vaccines or past infections.

Yet, the UKHSA reports no proof exists that these variants cause more severe illness than others spreading.

What signs should we watch for?
The official list of COVID symptoms stays the same, including:

• fever or chills

• cough that won't go away

• smell or taste changes

• shortness of breath

• tiredness or feeling worn out

• muscle pain

• headache

• throat irritation

• blocked or drippy nose

• not feeling hungry

• loose stools

• feeling sick or throwing up

Dr Paul Sax, who teaches medicine at Harvard Medical School, tells NBC News, Sky News' US partner, that people who test positive in the summer surge show many different symptoms.

"Some have a typical sore throat runny nose, cough, and mild fever," he says.

"Others feel sick to their stomach and have loose stools with very few breathing problems. It can be quite different from person to person."

Can you get a vaccine?
The NHS spring booster program ended in late June.

You can now only get a COVID vaccine if you pay for it .

Many pharmacies offer COVID vaccines to people 12 and older, with prices between £45 and £99.

What's happening ?
In the US, infections are going up in 42 states, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Wastewater data also shows high COVID levels across the country.

COVID cases have also gone up in other European countries. The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports higher rates in some areas. However, COVID-related hospital admissions and deaths "remain low".