XBB 1 5, expect to catch this soon

New Omicron Subvariant, Crazy Infectious

Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 response coordinator

Spread of XBB.1.5 is stunning

80% of Americans who've already been infected are likely to catch it again

Dr. Paula Cannon, virologist, University of Southern California

It's crazy infectious

All the things that have protected you for the past couple of years,

I don't think are going to protect you against this new crop of variants

Essentially, everyone in the country is at risk for infection now,

even if they're super careful,

up to date on vaccines,

or have caught it before

The number of severe infections and deaths remains relatively low,

despite the high level of infections,

US Variant Proportions

All omicron

BQ.1.1 34%

XBB.1.5 27.6%

BQ.1 21.4%

XBB 4.9%

BA.5 3.7%

BN.1 3%

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England

Technical briefing 49

11 January 2023

Current high UK incidence

England, prevalence 4.5%

Primarily of BQ.1 and sub-lineages

Hospitalisation (BQ.1)

Preliminary analysis, no increase in risk for people with BQ.1 compared to BA.5

Effectiveness of the bivalent booster against hospitalisation with BQ.1

At 2 or more weeks after receiving the booster

BQ,1 50.3%

BA.5 64.0%

XBB

First flagged, 11 October 2022

Recombinant lineage

2 BA.2 parent lineages BJ.1 and BM.1.1.1

Advantageous spike mutations from both

(about 12 compared to BA.2)

More receptor binding domain mutations

Plus 23 non spike mutations

Rapid replication in primary culture of nasal epithelium

XBB.1.5, (Kraken)

Currently at low prevalence, 4.5%

Has a combination of immune escape and ACE-2 affinity

XBB.1.5. has a 38.83% relative growth rate more than BQ.1.1

XBB is phenotypically similar to other Omicron variants,

rather than to Delta or earlier variants of concern.

CH.1.1

Currently at moderate prevalence

Has a 21.56% relative growth rate more than BQ.1.1

Variant prevalence, 26 December 2022 to 1 January 2023

51.3% BQ.1

19.5% CH.1.1

7.2% BA.5

4.9% BA.2.75

4.5% XBB.1.5

3.6% XBB

2.1% were BA.2

0.12% BA.4.6

0.7% classified as other

Reports from Variant Technical Group members

Neutralisation titres against XBB are the lowest of any contemporary variant tested

So, expect post vaccine and post infection breakthrough

(Rapid replication in primary culture of nasal epithelium)

Current reported covid symptoms in the UK

Blocked nose 57%

Sore throat, 57%

Runny nose, 53%

Headache, 52%

Cough no phlegm, 50%

Sneezing, 50%

Cough with phlegm, 44%

Hoarse voice, 40%

Muscle pains, 27%

Loss of smell, 22%

Fatigue, 22%

Altered sense smell, 21%

Dizzy, light headed, 19%

Swollen neck nodes, 19%

Earache, 15%

Shortness of breath, 16%

Chest pain / tightness, 14%

Wheezing, 12%

Chills / shivers, 12%