Recently, there have been alarming statements about the new variant of the Covid-19 virus, ‘XEC’, which has been seen especially in European countries and Russia. Experts, who are currently drawing attention to the increase in viral infectious diseases, are warning that many people complaining of flu symptoms may have contracted the new variant. While the lack of a vaccine against the new variant that evades PCR tests also increases fears, the ‘XEC’ variant, which is spreading rapidly in Europe, is expected to become the most dominant variant in Turkey in a short time. Scientists, who warn about masks, distance and hygiene, also emphasize that the virus can be fatal in patients with weak immune systems.
LIFE DANGER
Infectious Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duran Tok, whom we asked about the new variant and the current situation in Turkey, stated that the measures we have taken against Covid-19 are still valid today and said: “The XEC variant is considered a subtype of the Omicron variant. One of its most important features is that it can spread faster than other variants. “We may encounter a slightly milder clinical picture, but ultimately, since it is a COVID-19 virus, it is always life-threatening.”
SIMILAR SYMPTOMS
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duran Tok made the following statements regarding the symptoms of the XEC variant: “Although the symptoms are similar to those of other variants, we may encounter high fever, sore throat, loss of taste and smell. Classically, muscle and joint pain and fatigue are also among the symptoms. Again, as with other variants, it can be detected with a PCR test. We cannot yet say that it can be detected 100 percent in terms of success rate. The fact that it is seen more in neighboring countries and is more contagious than other variants suggests that it poses a significant risk in Turkey as well.“
IT MAY HAVE EVEN ARRIVED
Reminding that the XEC variant has not yet been officially seen in Turkey, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duran Tok said, “It is inevitable that a virus that spreads this quickly will come to Turkey, especially to Istanbul. We need to take our precautions accordingly. The fact that it has not been detected at the moment, and that it is officially said ‘not present’, does not mean that it is not present in Turkey.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duran Tok, who stated that a negative thought has been placed on vaccines and tests recently, made the following warnings: “A rapidly spreading virus is likely to create a serious health problem in Turkey for these reasons. Treatments are symptomatic treatment as in others. Protection methods are the same as for other variants. Its rapid spread suggests that it is clinically milder. I cannot speak clearly as it is not yet in our country, but data from other countries shows this. We must still take our precautions.“
VACCINES DON’T WORK
Answering our questions about how the new variant will be treated, Infectious Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Bülent Ertuğrul made the following statements: “We know that this variant spreads faster than others and can escape the immune response faster. This is what a variant needs to be in order to become the dominant strain. Covid-19 is still ongoing. The biggest problem for us is that the risk group continues to be the risk group. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for this variant or other new variants in our country. There is also no treatment method against this variant. The vaccines we made before are not valid. There are updated vaccines right now. They also work for these variants. But we don’t have these vaccines. The worst part is that we don’t have the drugs to treat those in the risk group.”
(email protected)
