As fall approaches, more people are thinking about protecting themselves from the flu and other illnesses, including COVID-19.
While many Canadians are no longer as worried about COVID-19 as they were during the peak of the disease, a new variant has spread in some parts of the world and is now present in Canada, according to health experts.
Here's what health officials say you need to know about COVID XEC.
What is COVID-19 XEC and how is it different from other variants?
According to the Canadian Health Agency, COVID XEC is a hybrid of the omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
The COVID-XEC variant was first discovered on May 16, and as of Sept. 18, 28 countries had reported sequences of it, World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Amna Smailbegovic said in an email to CTVNews.ca on Monday.
“WHO is currently reviewing the available evidence on the variant to determine whether it should be classified as a variant under watch,” the spokesperson wrote.
It is an omicron variant, but with genetic differences, said infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch of Toronto General Hospital in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Monday.
Bogoch believes COVID XEC will likely resemble other omicron variants, particularly in terms of symptoms and prevention.
“We have seen this several times as the Omikron variant continues to evolve,” Bogoch said. “To date, there do not appear to be any unique symptoms or syndromes associated with the XEC subline of Omikron. We must be open to the fact that things can always change.”
Is COVID XEC in Canada?
The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed to CTVNews.ca on Monday that a small number of XEC variants had been detected in Canada as of September 20. However, the exact number was not given. The number is so small that it is not visible in the weekly variant breakdown on the website. XEC has spread worldwide, with most cases in Europe.
What impact is COVID XEC likely to have?
Bogoch said COVID XEC will likely have a similar impact to the variants last winter, but the situation could change. Bogoch said Canadians can typically expect a surge in COVID infections in the fall and winter.
“From an individual clinical perspective and from a population impact perspective, the last sublines of omicron that have emerged have been remarkably similar in terms of their impact on Canadians at the individual and population level,” he said. “It's still important to recognize that COVID has not gone away.”
The Canadian health authority said that based on current evidence, it does not believe the new variant will have a serious impact on people.
Who is most vulnerable?
COVID-19 affects different people differently, Bogoch said.
Older Canadians are most at risk of severe infections that can lead to hospitalization and death, he said. Those at higher risk also include those with underlying medical conditions, such as immunocompromised people, people living in long-term care facilities or congregate settings, and Indigenous communities.
How can you protect yourself?
Bogoch said advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) was helpful.
NACI recommends the new vaccine for everyone, but especially those at higher risk of severe infection. Bogoch noted that the new vaccines are expected to be available in October.
“They are doing a remarkable job of containing severe infections, especially among those most at risk,” he said of the vaccines.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said the newly updated JN.1/KP.2 vaccines would help protect against severe disease caused by related COVID strains, including XEC.
“The effectiveness of the updated vaccines will be monitored in the future,” the report said.
Personal protective measures are recommended, such as staying home when sick, wearing a mask especially indoors, and washing your hands regularly.