'There are also very early suggestions the FLiRT subvariants could evade immunity from prior infections'
New Covid variants have rapidly become the dominant strains in the UK, amid fears they could spread more easily. The strains, named FLiRT variants, are now spreading quickly across the globe and have come at a time of increased infections and hospitalisations in the UK.
She added: "The regions of the spike protein where the mutations have been found are important for two main reasons. The first is antibody binding, which influences the degree to which the immune system can recognise and neutralise the virus. The second is virus binding to host cells, which is required to cause infection.""These factors explain why some experts have suggested the FLiRT subvariants may be more transmissible than earlier COVID variants.
In the US, FLiRT has overtaken the original JN.1 variant as the dominant strain. The latest data from the US suggests the original JN.1 is making up less than 16% of cases. In other parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom, the FLiRT subvariants are similarly on the rise.
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