{"id":181725,"date":"2025-10-06T13:24:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/181725\/"},"modified":"2025-10-06T13:24:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:24:11","slug":"we-could-be-in-some-trouble-as-covid-cases-soar-experts-reveal-the-truth-about-the-troubling-new-variants-sweeping-britain-if-theyre-worse-than-last-time-and-whether-you-really-need-another-j","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/181725\/","title":{"rendered":"‘We could be in some trouble’: As Covid cases soar, experts reveal the truth about the troubling new variants sweeping Britain, if they’re worse than last time… and whether you really need another jab"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is the heart-sinking<\/a> prospect few wanted to hear \u2013 Covid is on the rise again. New figures show cases have doubled since August \u2013 with one in 12 hospital tests now coming back positive and admissions up by a third in just a week. Around 2,000 patients are currently being treated \u2013 still far below the peaks of recent years, but a reminder the virus has never gone away.<\/p>\n

At the same time, other winter bugs are beginning to stir. Rhinovirus, the common cold<\/a>, has surged in the past month, flu<\/a> infections are climbing, and doctors are once again braced for a possible return of RSV<\/a> and norovirus.<\/p>\n

The unwelcome convergence has raised fears of another so-called \u2018quin-demic\u2019 this winter \u2013 when five major viruses strike at once, stretching NHS<\/a> services to breaking point.<\/p>\n

The Covid surge, according to scientists, is being driven by two new coronavirus<\/a> variants which, while no more dangerous than previous strains, appear to be highly infectious.<\/p>\n

And, with uptake of the latest Covid vaccine falling to a record low, experts warn this could mean thousands more catch the virus and end up in hospital in the coming weeks, putting strain on the system and potentially leading to the cancellation of routine procedures such as heart operations and hip replacements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Because we\u2019re not testing widely any more, the cases we are spotting are just the tip of the iceberg,\u2019 says Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick.<\/p>\n

\u2018Most people have not had a vaccine in some time, meaning they have waning immunity, and these variants appear to be particularly infectious, so I\u2019d expect cases to keep rising.<\/p>\n

\u2018If flu takes off soon, and people don\u2019t come forwards for their Covid or flu jabs<\/a>, then we could be in some trouble. A combined wave of flu and Covid could put more pressure on already stretched NHS services, and we know that when that happens, this can disrupt routine care.\u2019<\/p>\n

With that in mind, The Mail on Sunday has turned to some of the country\u2019s leading virus experts to explain what the latest Covid wave really means \u2013 from the distinctive new symptoms to the simple steps you can take to avoid infection<\/a>. Read on to find out more\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Surprisingly, <\/p>\n

Surprisingly, five years on from the start of the pandemic, experts remain divided on the benefits of face masks<\/p>\n

It’s been a while since I last had Covid \u2013 or a jab. How worried about my health should I be?<\/p>\n

For the vast majority of people, the latest Covid variants pose no serious health risk.<\/a><\/p>\n

The strains \u2013 XFG, dubbed Stratus, and NB.1.8.1, known as Nimbus<\/a> \u2013 are fuelling the current surge in infections. Early research suggests they are more transmissible than recent strains, meaning they are better at evading the body\u2019s first line of defences and triggering infection.<\/p>\n

However, most people are unlikely to fall seriously ill with either Stratus or Nimbus. Both are offshoots of Omicron \u2013 the highly infectious variant that swept across the UK at the end of 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Stratus and Nimbus are quite significantly different to other variants we\u2019ve seen in recent years,\u2019 says Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.<\/a> \u2018That makes it easier for them to infect patients, as the immune system hasn\u2019t had the chance to learn to resist them.<\/p>\n

\u2018However, both are derived from Omicron, which a large proportion of the population has already caught. This means that most people will have underlying immunity. Combine this with the fact that most people have had upwards of three vaccines, this means that these variants are unlikely to be particularly dangerous.<\/p>\n

\u2018The exception to this might be those who are older or more vulnerable who have not had a vaccine recently.\u2019<\/p>\n

I haven’t been invited for a Covid vaccine this year \u2013 will I be offered one now that it\u2019s on the rise again?<\/p>\n

Starting this month, over-75s, care home residents and those with severely weakened immune systems will be offered a Covid booster \u2013 and experts say this is unlikely to change despite the recent rise in cases.<\/a><\/p>\n

Last year, boosters were also offered to those between 65 and 75. But research shows that, thanks to immunity built up from previous infections as well as vaccines<\/a>, people in this age group now face only a low risk of developing severe Covid.<\/p>\n

It is a far cry from the early days of the pandemic, when anyone over 50 was seen to be at vastly greater risk.<\/p>\n

Some High Street pharmacists are offering private Covid jabs to adults and children over 12, usually for around \u00a3100.<\/a> However, Prof Ball says: \u2018It\u2019s clear now that it\u2019s only those over 75 and the immunocompromised who need regular booster jabs.\u2019<\/p>\n

Experts say the Government does need to focus on persuading those who are eligible to come forwards. The last vaccine rollout, in spring, saw the lowest uptake yet, with only half of those invited getting the jab.<\/p>\n

Experts put this down to \u2018vaccine fatigue\u2019, with some older Britons having been offered as many as 11 doses since the start of the pandemic.<\/a> \u2018Covid no longer impacts our lives in the same way it used to,\u2019 says Prof Ball. \u2018People think about it less, so they feel less need to get vaccinated.\u2019<\/p>\n

Even so, experts stress it is important that those eligible do take up the offer this autumn. The current boosters are not the same as the first Covid jabs \u2013 they were updated last year to target strains in the Omicron family, which was markedly different from the Covid that first emerged in 2020, with dozens of mutations that made it far more infectious and better at slipping past immunity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Because the new variants Stratus and Nimbus are offshoots of Omicron, the updated vaccines are expected to give strong protection against them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"For <\/p>\n

For the vast majority of people, the latest Covid variants pose no serious health risk<\/p>\n

I’d like to avoid getting sick if possible \u2013 what can I do to evade the virus?<\/p>\n

Experts say the best way to cut the risk of catching the new Covid variants<\/a> is to limit time spent in poorly ventilated indoor spaces.<\/p>\n

\u2018Covid passes best in enclosed spaces like a packed train,\u2019 says Prof Ball. \u2018It\u2019s the same reason we tend to see viruses like colds and flu making a comeback in the winter \u2013 because people increasingly spend time indoors. So if you are really set on avoiding Covid, the best thing you can do is avoid large groups of people meeting indoors.\u2019<\/p>\n

Children in schools, residents in care homes and NHS staff are all seen as particularly at risk, as infections can spread rapidly through these groups.<\/a><\/p>\n

Surprisingly, five years on from the start of the pandemic, experts remain divided on the benefits of face masks.<\/p>\n

Large studies have produced conflicting results. A 2023 Cochrane review \u2013 regarded as the gold standard for scientific research \u2013 concluded that most studies \u2018did not show a clear reduction in respiratory viral infection with the use of medical\/surgical masks<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s probably safer to wear a mask than not if you\u2019re trying to avoid Covid,\u2019 adds Prof Ball.<\/a> \u2018But the benefits are limited.\u2019<\/p>\n

It seems like there\u2019s a lot of bugs going around at the moment \u2013 how do I know whether it\u2019s Covid?<\/p>\n

Early reports suggest the Stratus and Nimbus variants can trigger a distinctive \u2018razor blade\u2019 sore throat, along with other more typical Covid symptoms.<\/a><\/p>\n

The uncomfortable problem has been recorded in the US where the variants have been spreading for longer.<\/p>\n

\u2018There have been a lot of anecdotal reports of a raspy \u201crazor blade\u201d sore throat,\u2019 says Prof Young. \u2018It\u2019s not clear how many patients get this symptom, but there does seem to be some departure from the classic Covid symptoms of a runny nose, cough and headache.<\/a>\u2019<\/p>\n

However, experts say that, with the common cold also on the rise in the UK, it would be unwise to self-diagnose based on symptoms alone. \u2018There\u2019s a lot of overlap in symptoms between colds and Covid<\/a>,\u2019 says Prof Ball. \u2018You can also get a sore throat from a cold.\u2019<\/p>\n

Instead, experts say the only reliable way to know if someone has Covid is testing for the virus. The Government no longer funds free Covid tests \u2013 known as lateral flows, which involve swabbing the mouth and nose for virus particles<\/a>. But most high street pharmacists will sell such kits, usually costing around \u00a310 for five tests.<\/p>\n

Since Covid is not really any worse than a cold these days, is it fine to go to work if I think I\u2019ve got it?<\/p>\n

Anyone with suspected Covid symptoms \u2013 or a positive test \u2013 should consider staying at home for up to seven days<\/a>, experts advise. \u2018People who catch Covid appear to be most infectious in the three to seven days after symptoms begin,\u2019 says Prof Ball.<\/p>\n

\u2018So if you are able to work at home while sick that would be the best thing to do, to avoid passing it on to others.\u2019 For those who cannot stay home, experts recommend wearing a face mask.<\/p>\n

While evidence that masks protect the wearer is limited, studies have shown that they can reduce the risk of passing the virus on.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you\u2019ve got any Covid or cold-like symptoms and you need to be out and about<\/a>, wearing a face mask would be a good idea,\u2019 says Prof Young.<\/p>\n

Experts also stress the importance of staying away from people who may be especially vulnerable.<\/p>\n

\u2018Think twice before visiting your elderly relative in a care home or someone who\u2019s undergoing medical treatment that weakens their immune system,\u2019 says Prof Young. \u2018That doesn\u2019t mean avoid them all winter \u2013 just wait a week or so.\u2019<\/p>\n

HOW DO THEY DREAM UP THOSE NAMES?\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The latest Covid variants, Nimbus and Stratus, arguably owe their names to one man: a Canadian scientist called Dr T. Ryan Gregory.<\/p>\n

All strains of the Covid virus are given official scientific names based on their genetic code. Nimbus is officially called NB.1.8.1.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also assigns Greek letters to particularly concerning or prominent variants, such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron. However, a number of scientists argue that the WHO\u2019s threshold for what it considers a new variant is too high.<\/p>\n

For example, both Nimbus and Stratus are, according to the WHO, still Omicron, even though they have gone through countless genetic changes since the original variant arrived at the end of 2022.<\/p>\n

As such, a group of scientists, led by Dr Gregory \u2013 a biologist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada \u2013 have started coming up with unofficial Covid variants names on social media. Initially, these were based on mythological creatures, like Kraken and Centaurus.<\/p>\n

In one 2023 interview about how he came up with the names, he said: \u2018They are not chosen to be scary, especially, or to cause alarm, but rather to be distinct… It\u2019s pretty arbitrary.\u2019<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the group came up with the variant names Nimbus and Stratus, which are two common types of cloud.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It is the heart-sinking prospect few wanted to hear \u2013 Covid is on the rise again. New figures…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":181726,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[97,59,102,104,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-181725","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-gb","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-nhs","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}