Have you heard of Eris, the new Covid variant in town? Should you be concerned?

Should we be concerned about Eris?

Speaking to South First, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, physician and Co-Chairman of the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, said, “At this time, India is about three to four months past its most recent wave of Covid-19. It’s too short a time for a large wave to hit, primarily because many individuals who were infected recently, knowingly or unknowingly, still have neutralising antibodies in their blood.”

“This helps prevent infection and may also lead to milder symptoms, in case of an infection. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the Eris variant will cause a massive surge in the Indian community,” he added.

Dr Jayadevan said that the Eris variant is not entirely new; it is a downstream descendant of the XBB version of the Omicron strain.

“XBB has already been through India to some extent, so it is less likely to cause a large wave. However, we should continue monitoring its spread as viruses can be unpredictable. Wastewater surveillance is essential to identify new clusters of infections, especially when cases are low. Early detection can help us respond effectively to potential outbreaks,” he said.

Also Read: What is Wastewater surveillance?

What are the symptoms of Eris?

“Regarding symptoms, there is no evidence to suggest that clinical symptoms for the Eris variant are different from other Omicron infections. The profile remains similar, which includes a large number of asymptomatic cases,” said Dr Jayadevan.

The individuals may experience:

• Runny nose
• Scratchy throat
• Cough
• Fever
• Body pains

Ten symptoms of new rising Covid strain(EG.5.1) aka “Eris”
1️⃣Sore throat
2️⃣Runny nose
3️⃣Blocked nose
4️⃣Sneezing
5️⃣Dry cough
6️⃣Headache
7️⃣Wet cough
8️⃣Hoarse voice
9️⃣Muscle aches
🔟Altered smellhttps://t.co/h7rTmw1FXM

— George Monks, M.D. (@GeorgeMonks11) August 7, 2023

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Is there requirement for booster doses?

Dr Jayadevan said that there is currently no specific need to take a booster dose for this variant.

“I cannot provide a definitive answer at this time, as Eris is not an entirely new variant. The existing levels of immunity, protection, or vaccines should be sufficient to tackle the Eris variant,” he said.

However, it’s important to note that we lack data on administering more than three doses of Indian vaccines. This area remains unexplored and uncertain.

“Unlike the US, which has clear data on their own distinct vaccines that allow for more than three doses, India uses different vaccines for which only data up to three doses are available,” said Dr Jayadevan.

Given the lack of comprehensive information, we should refrain from speculating about further doses until more research and data become available, he said.

He said genomic surveillance is crucial for identifying the new cases, especially when cases are low, as it allows us to detect any new variants before they lead to a significant increase in cases.

“Surveillance should remain active even when Covid cases decrease because the virus can resurge unpredictably. Waiting too long to detect a new variant could lead to a delayed response and timely detection is key to managing potential outbreaks effectively,” he said.

Also Read: Kerala reported India’s first Covid case. Now, a new first 

The rapid increase of cases in UK

On 31 July, Eris was officially classified as a variant and has since surged in the UK. It has now become the second-most prevalent variant in the country, with Arcturus, another variant, being the most dominant, accounting for 39.4 percent of all infections, as reported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

In their recent tweet, the UKHSA shared findings from their fortnightly Covid-19 surveillance report, revealing a concerning increase in hospital admission rates across various age groups. Notably, the over-75 age group continues to experience the highest admission rates.

“Our fortnightly #COVID19 surveillance report shows that hospital admission rates have increased in most age groups. The highest admission rates continue to be seen in the over 75s,” said UKHSA in a tweet.

Our fortnightly #COVID19 surveillance report shows that hospital admission rates have increased in most age groups. The highest admission rates continue to be seen in the over 75s.

Read the full report: https://t.co/o3mfNEtHrA pic.twitter.com/18BRsVgJM2

— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) August 3, 2023