The Arcturus COVID Variant and What it Means to the US

There is a new variant out there known as variant XBB.1.16, more commonly referred to as the Arcturus COVID strain. Yet at this point, is it critical to still have consistent COVID testing or Molecular testing related to COVID, as there is already an ample supply of various vaccines? Isn't it just time to treat this as something that is with us, such as other types of viruses, whether it is the common cold or influenza?

COVID and its variant still pose a significant threat, especially with how rapidly the virus continues to mutate.

What is the Arcturus Variant?

This is one of the latest variants becoming common in the United States. While scientists are not thrilled at the current naming of variants in this way, it is starting to become the dominant COVID variant when found in testing. By the end of April, it had already reached nearly 12% of the overall virus throughout the United States, with just over 88,000 cases that were reported. But, yet again, this may be an understated number as reporting on testing has dwindled and does not factor in those that test from their homes.

This virus shows around 20% of the time when it comes to positive results from travelers arriving from international airports in the United States. However, from a global perspective, the highest numbers are running rampant throughout India currently.

Symptoms to expect

This strain does not seem to be much different when it comes to other late-stage ones that we have been seeing. But what is being seen is that it is starting to show symptoms that could be more transmissible. This means rapid infection is possible.

Another note, but also not fully confirmed or verified yet, is the fact that conjunctivitis (commonly referred to as 'pink eye') is a more prevalent symptom when it comes to the XBB.1.16 variant. This has always been a possible symptom with any strain of COVID but seems to have been appearing more often anecdotally. In addition, when it does show up, it does show up more often earlier than other expected COVID symptoms.

Why testing continues to be important

COVID testing and reporting have also started to slow down but that does not mean it is what should be happening. It is a key method of seeing if the virus and its sub-variants are being contained or if we are on the verge of another outbreak.

Specifically, it's not just antigen testing that needs to be done, but Molecular Testing that needs to continue so that it's easier to spot variants that may start to be more immune resistant, which could eliminate the efficacy of the current vaccines we have, as well as the immunity our bodies have naturally built up. Thankfully, the recent Arcturus variant is not showing resistance to existing vaccines.

Still, it shows that it can spread much more aggressively than Omicron did beforehand, leading to the fact that the mutations could eventually pose a serious global threat again.

More variants out there

With more molecular testing, variants can be discovered much faster. It is important to catch every mutation and variant of COVID because the behavioral patterns could always change. Even with the current major variant – Arcturus, it is not fully understood how its behavior will be.

For now, the Arcturus COVID variant is under control in the United States, but it could become a major issue to be monitored when the Fall season comes around again, and it starts to get colder.