USA Today Around the globe, a new strain of COVID-19 is spreading exponentially.
The COVID-19 XEC variant is derived from Omicron strains KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, says Dr. Francesca Torriani, MD, an infectious disease specialist with UC San Diego Health. XEC was first detected in Europe earlier this year, and it’s now reached the US. “We expect this could become the next dominant variant,” she says.
As health officials prepare for a potential uptick in COVID-19 cases this fall, we asked the experts to answer your FAQs. From understanding how COVID-19 is transmitted, to what precautions you should take to protect yourself from the virus, here’s what you need to know. How is COVID transmitted?
So far, it is understood that the XEC variant behaves similarly to other strains of the virus, Torriani says.
Exposure to COVID-19 is most likely to occur when you are in close proximity to someone who is infected with the virus, because “the main mode of transmission is through respiratory particles,” says Torriani.