People at high risk should still be on alert, but FLiRT does not appear to pose a higher threat than other strains of the COVID-19 virus, he said.
We’ve seen it and that’s not a surprise,” Engelthaler said of the FLiRT strains.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking the KP.2 and KP.1.1 strains of the COVID-19 virus, which are sometimes referred to as FLiRT, officials told The Arizona Republic in an email.
There is not enough evidence to say whether FLiRT strains will cause a summer COVID-19 surge, Engelthaler said.
Like other strains of the COVID-19 virus, the FLiRT versions are descendants of the omicron subvariant.
“It’s a couple of variants that are additional subvariants of the original omicron,” Engelthaler said of FLiRT.
Why is the COVID-19 virus still circulating?
Some people could still have a serious outcome from it, but those are the people that we know are the highest risk,” Engelthaler said.
Despite a notable rise in prevalence, a new strain of COVID-19 subvariants known as FLiRT is not anticipated to cause more severe illness than previous virus iterations.
The FLiRT strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are “definitely the latest sequel to omicron,” according to David Engelthaler, head of the infectious diseases division of the Translational Genomics Research Institute, located in Arizona. “.
Although FLiRT does not seem to be a more dangerous strain of the COVID-19 virus than other strains, he advised those who are at high risk to remain vigilant.
Although a “couple of instances of FLiRT variants” have been found in Arizona, Engelthaler noted that the amount of virus strains that have been sequenced has significantly decreased from the levels of sequencing that occurred during the pandemic, making it difficult to determine how much is present.
“It is here, as we know. In reference to the FLiRT strains, Engelthaler stated, “We’ve seen it, and that’s not a surprise.”. “It probably appears in every state. “.
The US. s. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is monitoring the KP. as well as KP 2. Officials sent an email to The Arizona Republic informing them of 1.1 COVID-19 strains, also known as FLiRT. KS. The most common COVID-19 variant in the U.S. at the moment is 2. s. , but data from laboratory testing show that the virus is currently only spreading at low levels, according to a CDC spokesperson.
Accordingly, even though KP. The spokesperson stated, “Since SARS-CoV-2 transmission is low, variant 2 is proportionally the most prevalent and is not contributing to an increase in infections.”. “As of right now, there are no signs that KP. Compared to other strains, strain 2 would induce a more severe illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will persist in tracking the virus’s spread within communities and the effectiveness of vaccinations against this particular strain. “.
Will FLiRT lead to an increase in COVID-19 during the summer?
Engelthaler stated that there is insufficient data to determine whether FLiRT strains will contribute to a summertime COVID-19 spike.
The most recent projections from the U. S. The FLiRT subvariant KP is confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2 represented 25% of the strains that were in use in the U. s. increased from 11% during the previous two-week period ending April 13 to 27% for the two-week period ending April 27.
PK. During the reporting period ending on April 27, CDC data indicates that 1.1, another FLiRT strain, increased from 3 percent to 7 point 5 percent of the estimated strains in circulation.
Although the current set of variants is becoming more prevalent, Engelthaler noted that this does not necessarily indicate a rise in the number of cases. In fact, it appears that the numbers are trending downward when you look at them almost anywhere. This is just the most effective version, then. “.
Though “we can’t necessarily count on that optimistic perspective,” according to Topol, “time will tell” and “it will take a much bigger challenge to our immune response than what the FLiRT subvariants are showing to cause a big new wave. “.”.
Why does the fact that FLiRT and the omicron variant are related matter?
The FLiRT variants of the COVID-19 virus are descended from the omicron subvariant, just like other strains. Omicron subvariants are similar in that they appear to spread quickly and elude antibodies accumulated from past infections and vaccinations, which is why new subvariants continue to appear.
Engelthaler described FLiRT as “a couple of variants that are additional subvariants of the original omicron”. “This will probably spread a little more easily, but there aren’t any signs of a significant uptick as of yet. While I’m not sure if the risk is very high, it’s possible that we see that. “.”.
Due to two mutations in the COVID-19 virus’s spike protein—one where an F amino acid changed into an L and another where an R amino acid changed into a T—FLiRT got its moniker.
“Omicron is responsible for almost all infections worldwide and all forms of this virus that we encounter; they are merely distinct forms of the same virus,” Engelthaler stated.
It is plausible that certain animals may be harboring some of these. dot. We are keeping testing on animals, keeping an eye on it in the wild, and observing how it spreads among humans because there’s a chance that it’s a different version, a non-omicron version, which could be suspicious. ****.
Why is there still a COVID-19 outbreak?
Engelthaler clarified that the COVID-19 virus has adopted an evolutionary tactic. According to him, the virus is making tiny adjustments to the spike protein in order to evade the antibodies that people have developed against its earlier iterations, allowing it to survive and spread.
“The Omicron virus remains the same.”. For the majority of people, it might just be a bad cold. We know who is most at risk, but some people may still experience serious consequences from it,” Engelthaler stated. Additionally, they would be more vulnerable if they had not recently received a vaccination or had an infection in the past. “.
The “Fast and Furious” action film franchise was likened by Engelthaler to the omicron subvariants.
It appears as though a new sequel is released every six months. It’s a little different from the last one and has a little bit of hype surrounding it, according to Engelthaler.”. However, you ultimately can’t tell the difference between them, so this is essentially how the virus will continue to spread. “.
