New Covid XEC symptom 'severely impacts daily functioning' warns doctor

Covid XEC is the latest in a long list of Covid variants and there's growing concern over its impact

A doctor has issued a warning about the most common symptom of Covid XEC, which is causing severe disruption to patients' daily lives. As the variant continues to spread across the UK, medical experts are increasingly concerned about its impact.

Dr Snieguole Geige from the 'It’s Me and You Clinic' revealed that "insistent and persistent fatigue" is the most frequently observed symptom. She said: "From my clinical perspective, the most common symptom we're observing is an intense and persistent fatigue that seems to linger longer than with previous variants.

On the subject of the most serious symptom, however, Dr Geige explained: "The most serious symptom is the potential for sudden, acute respiratory failure in individuals who may have previously only experienced mild to moderate symptoms."

She described XEC as "particularly dangerous" because "patients can deteriorate quickly", reports Surrey Live. Another factor contributing to XEC's spread is its "unpredictable trajectory". Dr Geige explained: "Someone can appear to be recovering and suddenly face a rapid decline, often due to microvascular complications in the lungs, leading to severe oxygen deprivation."

Dr Geige is not alone in her concerns about the new Covid XEC variant, but other experts have urged calm. Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, a consultant epidemiologist at the United Kingdom Health Security Agency, told Sky: "Current information doesn't suggest we should be more concerned about this variant but we are monitoring this closely."

The order of symptoms for XEC has piqued the interest of clinicians, typically presenting as a fever, followed by a cough, then a sore throat, muscle pain or headache, and finally nausea or vomiting and diarrhoea.

Joseph Larsen, a doctoral candidate at USC Dornsife, explained: "Knowing that each illness progresses differently means that doctors can identify sooner whether someone likely has COVID-19, or another illness, which can help them make better treatment decisions."

What are other symptoms of Covid XEC?

The XEC strain can deliver similar symptoms to the common cold or flu, including:

• High temperature
• Aches
• A cough or sore throat

Who is most at risk?

The NHS says three sets of people are eligible for an Covid booster vaccine between October 3 and December 20:

• People over-65
• People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more susceptible to catching the illness, including pregnant women
• People living in care homes for older people
• NHS and social care workers on the frontline, including working in care homes for older people