The new SARS-CoV-2 variant KP.3 has raised concerns in Mexico’s medical community due to its rapid spread and ability to evade the immune system, even in vaccinated people.
According to Dr. Rafael Gutiérrez García, otolaryngologist and president of the College of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the State of Mexico, this variant has shown a high prevalence in various regions of the country.
What is the KP.3 variant of Covid-19?
The KP3 variant is a mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been circulating since late 2023 in countries with high epidemiological monitoring capacity such as the United States, England and Germany.
Dr. Gutiérrez explains that this variant is one of the most prevalent in Mexico today, surpassing other known variants in some cases.
“The KP3 variant has caused concern because it is one of the most common and is causing problems in our society,” he said.
Spread and risk in the return to school
One of the aspects that most worries experts is the return to school and the recent holiday season. According to Dr. Gutiérrez, the concentration of people on flights and in educational centers has facilitated the spread of the virus.
“We have observed that airplanes are a high contagion area, and when they return from their trips, people tend to infect their family members and coworkers, which creates a vicious circle of contagion,” he said.
The impact on returning to school is also significant, especially for young children attending daycare and kindergarten, where infection is more common due to the close proximity between children.
“Children share toys with each other, they cough on each other, and this increases the rate of infection,” explained Dr. Gutiérrez.
What are the symptoms and differences with other variants of Covid-19?
The symptoms of the KP3 variant are similar to those of other COVID-19 variants, with symptoms including respiratory tract infections, sore throat, and in some cases, loss of taste and smell; however, Dr. Gutiérrez highlights that symptoms may vary depending on the patient’s viral load and pre-existing health conditions.
“It’s not the same thing if someone coughed in front of you as if you only received a small sneeze on the sly,” he said.
The specialist also noted that, although the cases he has treated have mostly been mild to moderate, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are the most vulnerable and may present more severe symptoms, requiring hospital care in some cases.
What is known about immunization and vaccine efficacy?
The effectiveness of vaccines against this new variant is a matter of great importance. Despite the mutations that the virus has undergone, Dr. Gutiérrez stresses that “it is better to be vaccinated than not to be vaccinated.” Vaccines continue to offer a significant level of protection, especially for people with chronic diseases.
What does it mean that the WHO classified it as a variant under surveillance?
However, the KP.3 variant has shown the ability to partially evade the immune response, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to classify it as a “variant under surveillance.”
This means that their behavior is being closely monitored to prevent a potential large-scale outbreak in the future.
Recommendations and preventive measures for the KP.3 variant
Given the advance of the KP.3 variant, Dr. Gutiérrez recommends continuing with basic prevention measures, such as wearing face masks, hand hygiene, and disinfecting surfaces. He also suggests using pH-neutral electrolyzed superoxidation solutions as an additional measure to reduce the viral load and prevent infection.
“These solutions can help both prevent infection and lessen the severity of symptoms if you are already infected,” he said.
The KP3 variant of SARS-CoV-2 represents a new challenge in the fight against Covid-19 in Mexico. Authorities and the medical community insist on the importance of staying informed and following health recommendations to mitigate the impact of this new mutation of the virus.
WITH INFORMATION FROM EXCÉLSIOR
