Newswise — Two new COVID-19 variants nicknamed FLiRT are circulating. The new strain is a submutant of the Omicron variant.
The FLiRT strain has the same pattern as previous mutations, and early evidence suggests it may be more contagious. It can also be transmitted to people who have immunity from a vaccine or previous infection.
Symptoms include sore throat, cough, fatigue, runny nose, headache, muscle pain, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
George Washington University has experts who can detail what we know about these new variants and the risk to the public. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum (email protected).
David Diemert is clinical director of the GW Vaccine Research Unit and professor of medicine in the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was also the principal investigator on Moderna's coronavirus vaccine trial at GW.
Christopher Mores is a professor in the Department of Global Health at GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. His research focuses on the role of virus characteristics in determining transmission potential.
