Thousands of people across Kent are reporting symptoms similar to Covid, with many saying they feel as though they’ve been “hit by a bus”.
Complaints of sore throats, persistent coughs and extreme exhaustion are rife, fuelling fears of a supposedly “new” strain of the virus.
The new Covid strain has left some fearing the return of face masks
Dubbed “American Covid”, the variant has attracted attention in recent weeks, although health experts say it has actually been circulating for about a year.
So what is the strain, how serious is it, and what can people do to protect themselves?
We’ve looked at the latest government guidance and spoken to Medway GP Dr Julian Spinks to find out.
What is ‘American Covid’?
The strain is officially known as XFG, although it has also been nicknamed Stratus.
It is one of several variants of coronavirus, which continues to mutate and change over time, much like flu.
Despite the name, “American Covid” is not a separate disease, nor does it necessarily mean the virus originated in the United States.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the nickname reflects where the strain was first sequenced and detected.
How new is the strain?
Despite recent headlines, it is not particularly new.
Old Covid tests are rumoured to be unable to not detect the new strain
UKHSA confirmed earlier this month that XFG has been circulating in Britain and other countries for about 12 months.
Another variant, known as BA.3.2 or “Cicada”, has also attracted attention, having first been detected in South Africa in late 2024.
The World Health Organisation currently considers its public health risk to be low, although evidence remains limited.
Crucially, there is currently no evidence that either strain causes more serious illness than previous variants.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms are largely the same as those associated with other Covid strains.
According to the NHS, they include a persistent cough, sore throat, high temperature, headaches, aching muscles and extreme tiredness.
People may also experience a blocked or runny nose, shortness of breath, diarrhoea or changes to their sense of taste and smell.
While some people report particularly painful sore throats, there is no established symptom that reliably distinguishes XFG from other Covid variants.
Many symptoms overlap with those of common colds and flu, making it difficult to know what someone has without taking a test.
Is Covid spreading across Kent?
Thousands of people across the county have reported feeling unwell, although it is unclear how many have contracted Covid specifically.
Covid-19 spread throughout the world in 2020
Nationally, infections increased during September, with UKHSA reporting positive test rates of around 7% and hospital admission rates rising by approximately 50% over the month.
However, its latest surveillance report, published on Thursday (October 29), found Covid activity was decreasing and remained at low levels across England.
The proportion of PCR tests returning positive in hospital settings fell from 8.8% to 8.3% in the week ending October 25.
Health officials have also pointed out that rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, is currently the most widely circulating respiratory virus.
What does Kent GP say?
Dr Julian Spinks, who has worked as a GP in Medway for more than 30 years, says there is currently little reason for alarm.
Dr Julian Spinks
“I’m not particularly concerned about it at the moment,” he told KentOnline, explaining that the strain had been circulating for some time.
“There isn’t really evidence that this new one is significantly worse than the ones that have gone before.”
He explained that previous vaccinations had given people some lasting protection against severe illness, even as the virus continues to mutate.
Dr Spinks also believes the time of year helps explain why so many people appear to be falling ill.
“We’re in that season when people get more colds, more flu, and so on,” he said.
“You’re more indoors, you’re closer to people, and cold weather seems to lower people’s immunity a little bit to catching viruses.
“I think that is the reason why it seems to have come up.”
And while Covid infections have increased, he says there is little indication of a return to the scale of the original outbreaks.
“There’s been an increase in the numbers, but they’re not at the sort of levels we had in the original Covid outbreaks.”
How can you protect yourself?
Dr Spinks says many of the precautions people became familiar with during the pandemic remain useful, particularly when protecting the most vulnerable.
“If you’re somebody who qualifies for vaccination, it’s still a good idea to get it,” he said.
Vaccinations could provide some relief
“The other things are the things we were doing at the time, like washing your hands if you are ill, actually staying away from people and protecting the vulnerable.
“If you’ve got a nasty cough, don’t go and visit an elderly relative or a friend who may have some treatments affecting their immunity.
“All of that will reduce the risk of them catching it, and of course those are the people who are at greatest risk of ending up in hospital.”
The NHS is currently offering autumn Covid vaccinations to people aged 75 and over, residents of care homes for older adults and those aged six months and above with weakened immune systems.
People experiencing respiratory symptoms alongside a high temperature, or who feel too unwell to carry out normal activities, are advised to stay at home where possible.
Those who cannot stay at home should avoid crowded places, wear a well-fitting face covering and wash their hands regularly.
Most people recover without specialist treatment, but anyone whose symptoms worsen or fail to improve should seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.