What is FLiRT, new COVID-19 variant threatening US?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that there is an unfamiliar set of COVID-19 variants spreading across the US, which they collectively called FLiRT.
Among these, the KP.2 variant has become particularly prevalent, accounting for approximately 25% of COVID-19 cases in the United States from April 14 to April 27.
As the favoured strain, JN is trailed by the more common one of the two strains and is the less dominant one. A single variant, which manifested in 9 out of 10 cases in early times.
Another variant within the FLiRT group is an element of genetic drift, a phenomenon that caused a new variation called KP. 1. Overall, 1 is about 7, and the depression will greatly continue if interventions are not taken. Following CDC findings, these cases constituted as much as 5% of cases in the two-week period.
Megan L. Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health and a physician, expressed concerns over FLiRT variants to WebMDand made note of the changing spike protein in particular.
Despite the ongoing threat posed by new variants, vaccination rates remain low
The CDC reports that only 22.6% of adults in the U.S. have received the updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine since its availability in September 2023. The data also indicates that older populations have higher vaccination coverage, with the highest rates observed among adults aged 75 and above.
Thomas A. Russo, the chief of infectious disease at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo told WebMD, “We’ve got a population of people with waning immunity, which increases our susceptibility to a wave.”
Symptoms of FLiRT
The symptoms of FLiRT variant closely resemble those of JN.1.
Fever or chills
Persistent cough
Sore throat
Nasal congestion or runny nose
Headache
Muscle aches
Difficulty breathing
Fatigue
New loss of taste or smell
Mental fog (feeling less alert and focused)
Gastrointestinal issues (such as upset stomach, mild diarrhea, vomiting)
The CDC emphasizes that this list is not exhaustive and that symptoms can vary among individuals and may evolve with new variants.
How FLiRT transmits
Dr Manjusha Agarwal, senior consultant, internal medicine, Gleneagles Hospitals Parel Mumbai told Indian Express, “This variant spreads via respiratory droplets of the person to others, or touching infected surfaces such as faucets, furniture, elevator buttons, kitchen countertops, or coming in close contact with the person who is sick with this variant.”
The CDC updated its guidelines in March 2024, removing the previous recommendation for a five-day isolation period for those who test positive for COVID-19. Instead, the focus has shifted to broader measures aimed at mitigating the spread of common respiratory viruses, including influenza, RSV, and COVID-19.