XBB1.5 Covid variant: Most common symptoms in kids

XBB.1.5 is now the predominant COVID variant in the country, accounting for 43% of all new cases in the U.S., according to the latest data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That rate is up from 30% of infections the week before.

Symptoms of XBB.1.5 are similar to previous variants and that holds true even in pediatric patients. Common symptoms in children can include:

Fever
Fatigue
Achiness
Sore throat
Cough
Nasal congestion or runny nose
Headache
Lost sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
GI symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

Less common are reports of loss of taste or smell and shortness of breath, all hallmarks of earlier variants.

Dr. Tanya Altman, a pediatrician and author of Baby and Toddler Basics, told Huffington Post most of the COVID infections she’s seeing in children now are mild and pediatric patients seem to be recovering quickly after testing positive.

XBB.1.5 is one of the most highly contagious variants and apparently binds even more tightly to the receptors in the human body. It does not, however, appear to cause more severe illness than earlier variants.

Symptoms can range from mild symptoms to severe, typically appearing between 2-14 days after exposure. The CDC continues to recommend people get tested at least 5 days after their exposure to COVID-19.