Need to knowCOVID-19 cases rise are on the this winter with the spread of the XFG strain – dubbed ‘American Covid’
Covid-19 antigen test kit(Image: Getty Images )
As COVID-19 cases climb this winter with the circulation of the XFG strain – nicknamed ‘American Covid’ – a pharmacist has warned that red, gritty or sticky eyes could be a less well-known symptom of the virus. Here’s everything you need to know.
The XFG (Stratus) subvariant was first detected in January 2025 but earned its “American Covid” nickname after spreading rapidly across the USA last year. Now, it’s responsible for 55% of cases here in Ireland.The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says it is recording hundreds of new cases of Covid in Ireland each week now, with dozens of people being hospitalised.Pharmacist Noel Wicks, an adviser to GoldenEye, cautioned: “Conjunctivitis can be the first and/or the only symptom of COVID”, with clinical studies indicating it appears in up to 14% of those who test positive.A meta-analysis of 6,308 individuals found eye symptoms in approximately 11% of Covid patients, with conjunctivitis representing 88.8% of cases – and Wicks warned that winter conditions create “a perfect storm for conjunctivitis.”Mr Wicks added: “The COVID virus can get into several body organs including the throat and lungs, as well as the eye’s surface and eyelids. When a droplet containing the virus lands on the surface of the eye, the virus likely travels from the eye surface into the internal cavity of the eye reaching the retina at the back of the eye.”Early indicators to look out for include the whites of the eyes becoming pink, gritty or itchy eyes, and a white or yellow discharge – all of which should be addressed promptly, reports the Mirror.Specialists have previously provided reassurance that these variants don’t appear to represent any greater danger than earlier forms of Covid or cause people to become more severely unwell. However, the virus’s genetic alterations may increase transmission and could cause slightly different symptoms to the initial Covid-19 variants, including a scratchy throat.
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