XEC

We don’t often take an interest in new Covid variants these days but XEC, sometimes called Covid XECX, has registered, at least with the medical fraternity.  It is a hybrid of two previously existing Omicron sub variants, one of which is a FLiRT and one of which is a FLuQe (see previous new words) and seems to have a much greater transmissibility than any of the variants around at the moment. It is projected to be the global dominant variant in the coming months and is certainly spreading around Australia.

The name is explained as follow: the X indicates that it is a recombinant variant, that is, a blend of two other existing variants, the KS.1.1 variant and the KP.3.3 variant, while the E and C indicate specific lineages. The WHO’s naming conventions for Covid variants have become quite complex. Very little is known about XEC but there is no reason to believe that it is any more severe than previous versions of the virus.  It just gets around a lot faster.