Do I need to be worried about the new Covid strain Pirola – and will my booster jab protect me? How do I know if I have the new variant?

It is the ‘most notable variant of Covid-19 since Omicron’ according to one of Britain’s top scientists, amid fears it could evade vaccines.

The new variant, called Pirola, is believed to be responsible for a rise in cases across Europe – and last week it officially arrived in Britain.

The concern is so great that the government has brought forward the fall booster program by a month. And some experts are even calling for the return of face masks in hospitals and GP practices to protect the most vulnerable.

But how worried should we really be, given that there are only a few dozen confirmed cases in Britain?

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Covid strain.

Q I thought new Covid strains are appearing all the time – why is everyone talking about this one?

a The main concern about Pirola – scientifically known as BA.2.86 – is that it could potentially bypass the protection we have against vaccines and previous infections.

The strain is descended from Omicron, but has 35 mutations on the side of the virus targeted by the vaccines, known as the spike protein. There are also mutations that can help Pirola evade the natural protection we have against our immune system.

If we have less immunity, it could mean a big wave of infections and more serious diseases.

‘Pirola has made people sit up because of the unusually high number of mutations,’ says Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham.

‘Viruses naturally mutate to survive. But if there are thirty or more mutations, scientists have to wonder what that means. Does it make vaccines less effective, more easily transmitted than Omicron and cause more severe disease?”

These concerns prompted the Department of Health and Social Care to bring forward its autumn booster program so that the most at-risk people could get a jab earlier. Ministers said this was to reduce pressure on the health service while the strain could be fully investigated.

Since then, there have been indications from small laboratory studies that Pirola may be less contagious than previous Omicron variants and may not evade the immune system or vaccine as some suspected. But since there have only been a small number of cases worldwide, this has yet to be proven.

The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed 36 cases in Britain so far – 28 of which are from one care home. Five patients were hospitalized.

Q How do I know if I have this strain or another?

a You do not do that. Scientists say Pirola’s symptoms are indistinguishable from other Covid variants. Most people can expect a runny nose, sore throat, headache and fatigue.

Can I still get a test if I have symptoms and will it pick up this new strain?

Free tests are no longer available. There is also no official requirement to take a test if you have symptoms, nor to self-isolate if you test positive.

But lateral flow test packs can be bought from pharmacies for £2, and gold standard PCR tests, which are more definitive, are available online for around £50.

says Prof Ball. ‘They won’t tell you which strain you have, but if you have Covid – whatever strain – the tests are designed to find it.’

Q But don’t I have protection against the vaccines, boosters and previous infections?

a Most people will have some immunity against Pirola’s severe diseases, even if they are not eligible for a vaccine since the mass rollout ended in 2021.

Although vaccine immunity wanes over time, many people are also infected with the virus, providing broader protection. A small study of Pirola found that those who had recently had an Omicron infection had high levels of antibodies against the new strain.

‘Both vaccination and natural infection help protect us against serious disease by creating immunity with antibodies,’ says Prof Ball. ‘That means most people can expect a relatively mild infection if they get Pirola. When the virus first emerged we saw a lot of deaths and complications, such as long Covid-19, but they have fallen dramatically, and that is partly due to the vaccines and natural immunity.

“Covid variants can still cause problems, but they should not come close to the magnitude we saw in 2020.”

Q I’m over 65 and should have a fall booster. Will it work against this new strain?

a Scientists are still investigating this. The vaccines have been updated to include another Omicron descendant – XBB.1.5 – which was dominant in 2023.

Pfizer and Moderna said last week that their updated vaccines generated “strong responses” against the new Pirola strain in the laboratory.

‘Even if the vaccines are less effective against Pirola – which we don’t know they are – they will still provide some protection,’ says Prof Ball. ‘Pirola may have 35 mutations, but there are many parts of the spike protein that the immune system does recognize. The virus will find it impossible to change all of these and bypass it completely.”

Q What is currently happening in hospitals with Covid?

a The number of hospital beds in England occupied by Covid patients has risen by 15 per cent in a week to 2,500 out of a total of 140,000 beds.

The latest data, up to September 3, shows bigger increases in the South West (42 per cent), the North West (25 per cent) and in the North East and Yorkshire (23 per cent).

It is important to bear in mind that at the height of the pandemic in January 2021, 33,000 hospital beds were occupied by Covid patients. It is reassuring that the number of Covid patients in intensive care has remained largely stable, at around 60.

Q I am not eligible for a booster. Can I still get one?

a No. The NHS is only inviting those eligible for a jab, and – unlike flu jabs – these are not available to buy privately.

There is nothing stopping pharmaceutical companies from selling vaccines to private providers, but they are currently charged with honoring their government contracts.

However, they could be available privately in the US this fall, and Britain could follow suit.