What Doctors Want You to Know About the Latest COVID-19 Variant KP.3.1.1 – Prevention Magazine

The U.S. continues to ride the COVID summer wave. Emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19 are all up, putting the virus front and center again. But theres a new latest variant fueling cases, and it came on quickly: KP.3.1.1.

Its currently the second most common COVID-19 variant in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This variant started out as a blip on the radar in early June and quickly gained steam, surpassing variants like LB.1 that previously got plenty of attention.

Meet the experts: Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., is an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, John Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo SUNY

But what is KP.3.1.1 and is it more contagious than other variants? Experts break it down.

KP.3.1.1 is a newer COVID-19 variant that currently causes nearly 18% of cases of the virus in the U.S. KP.3.1.1 is a sublineage of KP.3, which is the most common variant in the country right now. Its another subvariant of the Omicron family, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

KP.3.1.1 is also an off-shoot of the FLiRT variants that made headlines in the late spring, says Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

KP.3.1.1 has an additional mutation in its spike protein, Dr. Adalja says. (The spike protein is what SARS-CoV-2 uses to latch onto your cells and infect you.)

There isnt a ton of data on KP.3.1.1, but there is some. Researchers in Japan analyzed KP.3.1.1 and found that its a subvariant of former JN.1, which was the dominant virus in the U.S. in the spring. Its also related to LB.1.

These variants keep coming up quickly because theyre able to mutate and adapt fast, Dr. Schaffner says.

There isnt a lot of information right now on symptoms of KP.3.1.1, given how new this variant is. However, Dr. Adalja says the symptoms of this strain are similar to what theyve been for other mutations of SARS-CoV-2. The symptoms for all versions of the virus are similar, he says.

Just in case you need a refresher, these are the most common symptoms of COVID-19, per the CDC:

As of right now, theres no evidence that theres any difference in severity with KP.3.1.1, says John Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo SUNY.

Yup, preliminary research has found that KP.3.1.1 is more contagious than previous variants. In fact, that analysis found that the variant has significantly higher infectivity compared to KP.3, which is already considered a highly contagious variant.

What we know about this variant is still rather limited, but it looks rather contagious although it seems to not be more severe, Dr. Schaffner says.

Given how quickly this variant has spread in the country and its spike protein mutation, Dr. Adalja says its likely that its more contagious than KP.3.

The current vaccine, which targets the XBB.1.5 strain of COVID-19, seems to help prevent severe disease in people who are at high risk for serious infection from COVID-19, Dr. Adalja says. However it has not been very effective or durable at blocking infection with any of the more recent variants, he says.

Recent research on KP.3.1.1 also found that it has enhanced immune evasion compared to other JN.1 subvariants. Meaning, the vaccine is even less likely to be effective at preventing infection with KP.3.1.1. (Although, again, it should help to protect against severe illness.)

The upcoming COVID-19 vaccine that will be released in the fall will target the KP.2 strain (Moderna and Pfizer vaccines) and the JN.1 strain (the Novavax vaccine). Because KP.3.1.1 is a descendant of JN.1 and is also related to KP.2, another JN.1 sublineage, the new vaccine should be effective against it, Dr. Schaffner says.

However, more data is needed. That is a question well have to look at in the laboratory, Dr. Schaffner says. So far, the planned vaccine in the fall has covered all of the variants up to this one.

Prevention for the KP.3.1.1 variant is the same as it is for other variants. Meaning, do your best to avoid people who are obviously sick and wear a mask indoors (like a KN95 or N95) if youre considered at high risk for serious complications from the virus.

This is an endemic respiratory virus that is difficult to completely avoid if one interacts in person with other humans, Dr. Adalja says. Its also important to be up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, especially if youre considered high-risk, Dr. Schaffner says.

If youre severely immunocompromised, Dr. Adalja recommends talking to your doctor about the monoclonal antibody Pemgarda, which can help lower the risk youll get sick.

But Dr. Adalja stresses that people shouldnt panic over the new variant. Variants will always arisein perpetuitybecause thats how evolution works, he says. There will always be a variant rising and variants falling. The virus is relatively new to humans and is facing a lot of pressure from the immunity in the population, so is evolving to remain viable, as would be expected.

Dr. Sellick agrees. Were going to continue to see these new variants, just like we continue to get new strains of the flu on a fairly regular basis, he says.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

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What Doctors Want You to Know About the Latest COVID-19 Variant KP.3.1.1 - Prevention Magazine