The XFG “Stratus” COVID-19 variant is officially strutting into the pandemic spotlight. It is new, it is bold, and according to the latest data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is now the third most common variant in the US. But it is popping up in certain states more than others, and the way it announces its arrival could be by making your throat feel like you have swallowed a box of sandpaper.

While the national Covid-19 test positivity rate sits in the 5–9.9 per cent range, a dozen states are seeing significantly higher numbers.

According to CDC data, the states with the highest positivity rates are:

• New Mexico (12%)
• Texas (12%)
• Oklahoma (12%)
• Arkansas (12%)
• Louisiana (12%)
• Nevada (11.3%)
• Arizona (11.3%)
• California (11.3%)
• Alaska (11.1%)
• Washington (11.1%)
• Oregon (11.1%)
• Idaho (11.1%)

These states are not just reporting higher numbers but are also providing ideal conditions for Stratus to spread. With case trends officially “growing” according to the CDC, it is a situation that demands close attention.

Stratus is a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organisation (WHO). First detected in January, XFG Stratus now accounts for about 14 per cent of Covid cases in the US.

While theW says the health risk from Stratus remains low at a global level, this variant is still on a growth spurt, outpacing other circulating forms of the virus, including its sibling, the “Nimbus” NB.1.8.1 variant. The concerning bit is that the WHO says Stratus could be more adept at sidestepping immune defences. The reassuring bit is that the current vaccines are expected to continue protecting against symptomatic and severe disease caused by Stratus.

Spotting Unique Stratus Symptoms

The tricky thing about Stratus is that it is not trying to reinvent the Covid symptom wheel. According to experts, its symptoms look suspiciously similar to other recent Omicron descendants. But there is one possible stand-out, a sensation some patients are calling “razor blade throat”.

Here’s the full checklist:

• Sore throat (sometimes severe)
• Cough
• Congestion or runny nose
• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea

The “razor blade throat” description might sound too much, but anyone who has had that burning, scratchy pain knows it is no joke. Hoarseness has also been reported more often lately. Still, a sore throat has been a hallmark Covid symptom since the early days of the pandemic; Stratus just seems to be leaning into it.

Why the Positivity Spike Matters

Higher positivity rates do not just mean more people are testing positive; they can also signal under-testing. If more than 10 per cent of people tested are infected, it suggests many cases are flying under the radar, which means more opportunities for the virus to spread unchecked. That is especially risky when you have a variant with a knack for growing its share of cases quickly, like Stratus.

The fact that 12 states are sitting above the 11 per cent mark means public health teams will be watching these regions closely in the coming weeks. In the meantime, everyday precautions like masking in crowded places, testing if symptomatic, and staying up to date with vaccines remain the best tools in the toolbox.

Stratus vs. Nimbus

While Stratus is currently the one hogging headlines, it is not alone. The “Nimbus” NB.1.8.1 variant is still in the mix, though it is being outpaced by Stratus globally.

For now, Stratus is the one to watch and not because it is the most dangerous, but because it is the fastest climber.

Final Forecast

The XFG Stratus variant is not changing anything, but it is a reminder that the virus is still evolving and still finding ways to make itself known. Got a sudden sore throat that feels like sandpaper? Do not brush it off. Stratus may not be a storm you can see on a weather map, but it is definitely in the air.

For this year's Delhi, the Supreme Court had lifted the blanket ban on bursting firecrackers, and allowed the citizens to burst green crackers, which emit 30 to 40% less harmful gases. The court also set a time limit between 8pm to 10pm, however, as reports show, Delhiites, very well burst crackers post the 10pm limit. As a result, Delhi pollution shot up 100 times the World Health Organization (WHO) limits, showed the data by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

For instance, On Monday 10am, in Nehru Vihar, the level of PM 2.5 was at 1,753 micrograms per meter, which is 116.8 times the WHO permission limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter for a 24-hour period.

In Patparganj area of Delhi, at 4am on Tuesday, the PM 2.5 was recorded at 1,144.8 micrograms per cubic meter, which is 76 times the WHO limit. Similarly, Ashok Vihar reported 1,353 micrograms per cubic meter at 12am on Tuesday, which is over 90 times the WHO limit.

In such a case, how can someone protect themselves? While pollution has crossed the safe limit, lives haven't stopped, people are still going out for work, and what's important is to wear protective gears to limit exposure to harmful gases in the pollution.

Surgical Mask Or N-95: Which One To Choose?

The answer to this is to wear masks. Now the question that arises is which one? Should we wear a surgical one, that comes in 3-ply protection, or should we go for an N-95 mask?

Dr Sandeep Nayar, Principal Director and HOD of Chest & Respiratory Diseases at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital says that N-95 should be considered. He says that normal surgical masks do not prevent you from getting exposed to smaller pollutants including PM 2.5 particles, which could directly enter your airways and may diffuse into the blood and affect all organs of your body.

What Is A Surgical Mask?

As per the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), a surgical mask is a loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a physical barrier between the mouth and the nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. However, the FDA, notes, that they do not filter or block very small particles in the air.

A surgical mask has a different kind of thickness, and it enables the wearer to be protected from contacts with liquid. It also effects how easily you can breathe. If worn properly, it can block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that could contains germs via viruses or bacteria from reaching your mouth and nose. The main function of a surgical mask is to reduce exposer of saliva and respiratory secretions to others.

What Is An N-95 Respirator?

It is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles, notes the FDA. This is what makes it fit for use during high levels of pollution.

The edges of N-95 are designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth. Some models even have exhalation valves that can make breathing out easier and help reduce the heat build-up.

As per a 2021 study published in the Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging, the N-95 mask could block "at least 95% of very small test particles". There are various kinds of such masks, called the filtering facepiece respirators or FFRs with various numerical designation like N-95, N-99, N-100, P-95, P-99, P-100, R-95, R-99, and R-100, where the number shows the filter's minimum filtration efficiency. The letters also hold a meaning, for instance the 'N' is for not resistant to oil, 'R' is for somewhat resistant to oil, and 'P' denotes strongly resistant to oil.

Kenvue, the American company behind Tylenol, says the US Food and Drug Administration should not make proposed changes to the product’s safety label reflecting research about a possible link between its use during pregnancy and autism or ADHD diagnoses in children.

The company emphasizes that acetaminophen, the generic name for Tylenol, also called paracetamol is “one of the most studied medicines in history” and argues that adopting the proposed label warning would be arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful.

Tylenol generates roughly $1 billion annually for Kenvue and remains the company’s top-selling brand, according to Morningstar. The current label advises pregnant or breastfeeding individuals to “ask a health professional before use.”

Kenvue: Push for Label Change Sparks Attention

The call for a label change gained attention after former President Donald Trump held a news conference last month, telling pregnant women in pain to try to “tough it out” instead of taking Tylenol, even though acetaminophen is widely considered the safest over-the-counter pain reliever during pregnancy.

Trump claimed, without evidence, that taking Tylenol during pregnancy is linked to a “very increased risk of autism.” “Fight like hell not to take it,” he urged.

Most pregnant people use acetaminophen at some point, studies show. Other common pain or fever treatments, such as ibuprofen or regular-dose aspirin, can increase the risk of serious complications during pregnancy. Untreated pain or fever can also be dangerous, possibly leading to miscarriage, birth defects, or high blood pressure.

Kenvue And Tylenol: FDA and Public Health Actions

Beginning the process to change acetaminophen labels was one of several steps the Trump administration planned. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his agency would also launch a public service campaign about the issue.

The FDA sent a letter to physicians noting that the decision to take Tylenol “still belongs with parents,” while also warning that its use during pregnancy may carry an “increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children.”

However, the letter stressed that “a causal relationship has not been established” and that studies examining a potential link are “contradictory,” as per CNN.

Citizen Petition Filed

The Informed Consent Action Network, an anti-vaccine nonprofit closely tied to Kennedy, filed a citizen petition with the FDA on the same day as Trump’s news conference. Citizen petitions allow individuals, industry groups, or consumer organizations to request FDA action on specific issues.

The petition claimed that, because of “urgent public health implications,” the FDA should add a warning to acetaminophen labels stating that “studies show that frequent use of this product during pregnancy may increase your child’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”

Kenvue Responds

On Friday, Kenvue formally asked the FDA to deny the petition, saying that the proposed label changes are unsupported by scientific evidence and would represent a departure from the FDA’s longstanding position on acetaminophen during pregnancy. The company said it had met with Kennedy in early September after he suggested a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, and Kenvue informed him there was no such connection.

FDA Guidance and Global Response

The FDA website on acetaminophen has not been updated to reflect the Trump administration’s views. The last update, in August, states, “to date, FDA has not found clear evidence that appropriate use of acetaminophen during pregnancy causes adverse pregnancy, birth, neurobehavioral, or developmental outcomes.” Acetaminophen has been studied for decades, and according to the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, no reputable study has concluded that its use in any trimester causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

Following Trump’s news conference, medicine regulatory agencies in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Canada quickly released statements confirming that acetaminophen remains safe for pregnant individuals.

Vision impairment is an issue that many people don’t understand. Most people view vision loss as absolute, either you can see or you cannot. However, there are other conditions where a person has slightly less vision and also severe visual impairment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.2 billion people in the world have near or distance impairment and according to their statistics, 1 billion of these cases could have been addressed. Taking a step towards this same cause, a new technology has been created, which could help people who have slowly lost their sight to read again.

A new study has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, announcing a huge step forward for people with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). This is a common disease that causes people to lose their central vision over time. The groundbreaking result of the study was that dozens of patients who took part in the study were able to get some of their sight back. This was achieved by using a brand-new system that combines an eye implant with special smart glasses.

Also Read: Can You Get Your Covid And Flu Shots At The Same Time? Experts Explain

This technology was powerful enough to help these patients return to doing simple, everyday things they could no longer do, like reading books or solving crossword puzzles. The people who participated in this trial were all 60 years or older, had AMD in both eyes, and had very poor vision in the eye being studied.

How Can You Help Someone With Progressive Vision Loss?

To understand why this is a big deal, you need to know that AMD causes the cells in the center of the retina (the light-sensitive part at the back of the eye) to die. Once they die, vision loss is considered permanent. This new study doesn't cure AMD, but it focuses on replacing the job of those dead cells to bring some vision back. The system has two main parts:

The Implant

This is a tiny device, only about 2x2 millimeters in size, which is smaller than a small pea. It’s made of little photovoltaic solar panels. It is carefully surgically placed underneath the patient's retina.

The Smart Glasses

The patient wears these special glasses, which have a camera. The glasses capture a close-up, zoomed-in image of the world and send this image to the implant using near-infrared light.

Once the implant receives the light signal, it creates small electrical pulses. These pulses travel to the optic nerve, completely taking over the job of the dead retinal cells and allowing the brain to finally see the world again.

How Does This Technology Work?

The clinical trial started with 38 patients who got the implant. After one full year, 32 patients were still involved in the study. The results at the one-year mark were extremely encouraging:

26 out of the 32 participants, which is an 80 percent success rate, could see better than they did when they started the trial.

It’s important to note that the vision they regained isn't perfect; patients can only see a blurry image and everything is in black and white. However, outside experts have praised the achievement, with some calling the work "amazing," because it provides hope where there was previously none.

The technology was developed by a company called Science Corporation, which works on brain-computer interfaces. The CEO and founder of Science Corporation is Max Hodak, who also helped start the well-known neurotechnology company Neuralink with Elon Musk back in 2016.

Science Corporation took over this vision project in 2024. They acquired the retinal implant technology from a French company named Pixium Vision. Pixium Vision had spent ten years trying to develop the technology but eventually ran out of money. This kind of "rescue" is actually not unique in the medical world; a similar situation happened with another company, Second Sight Medical, whose abandoned vision technology was also saved by a different startup to keep its clinical trials going.