XEC is the latest COVID-19 variant spreading in Europe and the U.S. Infectious disease doctors explain XEC symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

Although rates of new COVID infections have fallen since the summer’s surge, there’s a new variant in town, gearing up to fuel winter illnesses. There’s a new vaccine as well, though uptake has been slow so far.

The COVID XEC variant, a recombinant of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 COVID-19 variants, has been been spreading and has already appeared in 27 countries.