Consider homework and face masks to combat the new micron subspecies, EU states said

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European countries should consider returning to work from home and using face masks to combat the spread of the new micron subspecies, EU health officials said.

This is despite concluding that the strain spreading in the US and other countries, including the UK, poses a “low” risk to the general population of Europe.

In a report published on Friday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said there are “currently no signals” that the variant, named XBB.1.5it is no worse than other omicron subvariants in circulation.

The ECDC said it remained unknown whether the covid vaccines in use would remain effective against XBB.1.5, but suggested they would continue to protect against severe disease.

However, “given the expected spread” of XBB.1.5 across the continent, ECDC suggested a number of options to respond to this variant.

This includes consideration of “time-limited and targeted non-pharmaceutical interventions for the community, such as teleworking, appropriate use of face masks and good indoor ventilation, adapted to epidemiological and health conditions and community needs”.

A risk to the medically vulnerable

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization said countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights, given the rapid spread of XBB.1.5 in the US.

The ECDC also urged European countries to “improve timely uptake of Covid-19 vaccines” and “maintain or improve adequate levels of Sars-CoV-2 testing and sequencing…”

The impact of XBB.1.5 on the general European population is expected to be “low”.

However, for vaccinated vulnerable individuals, such as those with compromised immune systems, the variant is “rated as moderate”, while for unvaccinated people with underlying medical conditions it poses a “high” risk.

Health officials in the UK have not identified XBB.1.5 as a variant of concern, but believe it could spread and become the dominant Covid strain in the country in the coming months.

XBB.1.5 was created when two other versions of Omicron merged and forged a new set of mutations, giving it highly transferable properties.

The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) only sequences a small proportion of all Covid tests, but has so far confirmed only 161 known cases of XBB.1.5 in the UK, with 136 in England. The majority were found in the North West (35) and London (27), the UKHSA said.

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