As the new Covid-19 variants, nicknamed FLiRT, have raised fresh concerns, health experts on Monday said that there is no need for panic or extra caution.
FLiRT is a new set of Covid variants, from the lineage of the highly transmissible and immune system evading Omicron.
The FLiRT variants, which majorly include KP.1.1, and KP.2, are named based on the technical names for their mutations, one of which includes the letters “F” and “L”, and another of which includes the letters “R” and “T”.
According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,KP.2 accounted for about one in four or 25 per cent of new sequenced cases in the country in the last weeks of April.
“Overall, there is no need for panic or extra caution, nor is there a requirement for any specific medications. Improving immunity through a healthy lifestyle will be crucial,” Dr Swapnil M. Khadake, HOD & Consultant Critical Care, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, said.