Kentucky doctors discuss new Covid-19 strain, XBB 1.5

Health experts with Norton Healthcare say it's a combination of two omicron variants- and accounts for nearly 27 percent of all new Covid 19 cases in the country

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WTVQ)- A new covid-19 variant is becoming a dominant strain in the country. The World Health Organization says XBB. 1.5 is the most transmissible variant to date.
X-b-b 1.5 was detected in the fall.

Health experts with Norton Healthcare say it’s a combination of two omicron variants- and accounts for nearly 27 percent of all new Covid 19 cases in the country.

“It seems to be spreading pretty quickly. Every week for the last five or six weeks, the proportion of new cases due to his variant- XBB 1.5- is increasing and sometimes it’s doubling,” says Dr. Kristina Bryant, a pediatric disease specialist with Norton’s.

Doctors with Norton say that while data isn’t showing people are getting sicker from the strain or are more prone to hospitalizations, there are more cases.

“I think we need to be prepared that our local cases could increase,” says Dr. Bryant.

“There’s a lot of issues that these mutations can create for any person, but in particular people that are at higher risk,” says Dr. Paul Schulz, an infectious disease expert.

Doctors say there are treatments for people who contract the new strain, including oral therapies, but say as the viruses mutate Covid strains can become less resistant to these treatments.

Doctor Bryant says the best way to protect yourself and minimize your Covid 19 effects is to make sure that you are updated with your Covid 19 shots and boosters.

“The good news is that the bivalent Covid 19 boosters due induce antibodies against this new variant. So it’s expected that the bivalent boosters will protect against most severe outcomes of Covid, including hospitalizations and death,” says Bryant.

The bivalent boosters, doctors say, are recommended for everyone five years of age and older if its been at least two months since last covid vaccine dose and youve completed a primary series. But only one dose of a bivalent dose is recommended, so if you’ve already received one, you shouldn’t need another.

We reached out to the Fayette County Health Department to see if it has seen any positive XXB 1.5 cases.
A spokesperson says the test results they receive are not variant-specific, so they are reaching out to the department of public health for this data.