New covid Variant ’Stratus‘ Spreading Across UK, Health Officials Warn
London, UK – A new Covid-19 variant, dubbed “Stratus,” is currently surging across the United Kingdom, prompting health officials to urge updated vaccinations. The variant, first detected in January 2025 in Southeast Asia, has now spread to 38 countries, leading the World Health Organisation (WHO) to designate it a “SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring.”
According to experts, Stratus appears capable of evading the immune system, even in individuals with prior infection or vaccination. “This version is more likely to make you sick, however, as they appear to be able to avoid your immune system even if you’ve had it before,” one health official stated. “[This] makes prior vaccines less useful, which makes regular vaccination against the latest coronavirus even more vital. Think of it like updating your phone to get the best possible experience.”
While the latest variant doesn’t appear to cause more severe illness,it transmits more rapidly than earlier strains. The WHO reports that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against symptomatic adn severe disease caused by stratus.
Several countries in the South-East Asia Region have reported simultaneous rises in new cases and hospitalisations were Stratus has been widely detected. Though, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness or deaths than other circulating variants.
Common symptoms of Covid-19 can be found on the NHS website. Regular vaccination remains a key preventative measure against the virus and its evolving variants.
