Rates of COVID-19 continue to fluctuate throughout the year, and people have asked how the most common current lineages - or groups of genetically similar viruses - compare to previous COVID-19 variants.
What is ‘American Covid’?XFG - sometimes referred to in the media as the Stratus variant - remains the most common current COVID-19 variant. XFG has also been referred to as ‘American Covid’ in some media coverage, though it is not new and has been circulating in the UK and other countries for around a year. The name reflects where the strain was first sequenced and detected, rather than necessarily where it originated.
What have we seen so far this season?UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows that COVID-19 positive test rates rose to around 7% in September, with hospital admission rates increasing by approximately 50% over the same period. These increases have been observed consistently across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as across Europe and the United States, indicating this is not a localised trend.
Current data does not indicate that these variants lead to more severe illness than other variants in circulation. UKHSA monitors a range of surveillance systems, including GP appointments, A&E attendances and hospitalisations, alongside genomic sequencing, to track how variants are behaving. As increases in hospitalisations are rising in line with overall increases in COVID-19 circulation - rather than rising sharply on their own - this suggests a general increase in COVID-19 activity rather than a variant causing more severe disease.
There are likely to be several factors behind the current rise. As we move into winter, colder and wetter weather means people spend more time indoors, which enables the spread of respiratory viruses. It has also been roughly a year since the last significant COVID-19 wave, so immunity from vaccination and previous infection may be waning in parts of the population, making people more susceptible.
What about the BA.3.2 variant?Previously we also had detected BA.3.2, a highly divergent descendant of the Omicron BA.3 lineage that re-emerged in South Africa in late 2024. It has since been sporadically detected across multiple continents. BA.3.2 is sometimes called the ‘Cicada’ variant. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated BA.3.2 a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM). WHO currently assesses the public health risk as low, as there is no evidence of increased severity, hospitalisation, or mortality, although available evidence remains limited.
If I have COVID-19 symptoms, what should I do?If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you should avoid contact with vulnerable people and stay at home if possible. For those of us who absolutely can't stay at home, the guidance remains unchanged, and will reduce the chance of passing on your infection to others:
wear a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask avoid crowded places such as public transport, large social gatherings, or anywhere that is enclosed or poorly ventilated take any exercise outdoors in places where you will not have close contact with other people cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitiser after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose and before you eat or handle food; avoid touching your face What vaccination programme is in place for COVID-19 in the UK?Vaccines remain our best defence against severe disease and hospitalisation from flu and COVID-19. The NHS will contact you if you are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.
Current eligibility includes people aged 75 and over, those with weakened immune systems, and those living in care homes for the elderly. Anyone who falls into these groups is strongly encouraged to take up the vaccine, as it provides protection against severe illness.
Are there people who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19?The NHS provides treatment to people with COVID-19 who are at the highest risk of becoming seriously ill. You may be eligible for a COVID-19 treatment assessment if you are aged 12 or over, have symptoms and have tested positive for COVID-19, and have certain health conditions. These include conditions affecting the immune system, certain cancers or cancer treatments, kidney or liver disease, organ transplants, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, and conditions affecting the brain, nervous system or lungs. If you're unsure whether you're eligible, speak to your GP or hospital specialist who can advise you.
What surveillance systems are in place?We publish weekly surveillance data for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses during the winter season. We're also getting vital data from those who are admitted to hospital with symptoms and use genome sequencing to understand which variants people are most vulnerable to.
Hospitals are where we will see the more severe cases, and we monitor the numbers of people attending who test positive, or with COVID-19 symptoms, very carefully. This helps us understand the growth rate and transmission potential of the current variants.
https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/10/08/should-we-be-worried-about-the-current-covid-19-variants-2/
seen at 14:37, 8 October in UK Health Security Agency.