You can combat Omicron subvariants by using face masks and homeworking, EU countries said.

European Union health officials suggested that European countries consider returning to school and using face masks to stop the spread of Omicron subspecies.

Despite the fact that tensions, which started in the USA and other countries, such as the UK, pose a “low” threat to the European population, this is not surprising.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control stated in a briefing that there were no indications that the variant exists. Its name is XBB.1.5is any sharper that the other Omicron subvariants.

Although it is not yet known if the Covid vaccines will still be effective against XBB.1.5, the CDC stated that they will continue protecting against severe diseases.

The ECDC suggested several options to deal with the variant, “as a result of the expected spread of XBB.1.5 across continent”.

This includes non-pharmaceutical, time-bound, community-directed interventions like telework, face masks, and indoor ventilation. These are tailored to the needs of the community, the healthcare system, and the current state of the pandemic.

The medically vulnerable are at greatest risk

In light of the rapid spread and prevalence of XBB.1.5 in the United States, the World Health Organization recommended that countries recommend that passengers wear masks when flying long-haul.

ECDC also advised European countries to “improve timely adoption of Covid-19 vaccines” as well as “maintain or increase appropriate levels of SarsCoV-2 testing .

It stated that the overall impact of XBB.1.5 upon the European population was expected “low”.

The variant is “evaluated moderately” for people who are susceptible, such as those with a weak immune system. However, it poses a high risk for people who are not vaccinated and have underlying health conditions.

Officials in the UK have not yet classified XBB.1.5 a variant of concern but fear that it could spread to other countries and become the dominant Covid strain.

XBB.1.5 resulted from the fusion of two Omicron variants. This created a new set if mutations and gave it high transmissibility.

The UK Health Security Agency, (UKHSA), only sequences a fraction of all Covid test results. However, it has so far confirmed 161 cases of XBB.1.5 within the UK and 136 outside of England. According to the UK Health Security Service (UKHSA), the majority of cases were found in the North West (35) or London (27).

Learn more about it to protect yourself and your family global health security