You thought COVID was gone forever? Oh no.

Don't blow a gasket, it doesn't like look like we're in for 2020: Season 2. One of the "fun" parts of COVID has been that there have been so many variants.

Remember how we thought it was done then bam the Omicron and Delta variants hit?

If we're naming and classifying variants of a contagious, universal problem of a virus, those names make sense right? Well, here we are with this new one.

What It Is

Experts say this one can grow in wastewater and they're watching for a summer wave of it before vaccination time in the fall. So here's the map of COVID-19 wastewater viral activity levels.

Axios
Axios
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You can see Iowa is at a 'moderate' level. The new strain in town accounted for about 28% of COVID cases at the end of May. The strain's name?

FLiRT.

They named a contagious disease strain flirt.

The illness probably won't make you any better at it's namesake but it will give you the standard edition COVID symptoms we've seen since the beginning:

  • Congestion/runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Muscle/body aches
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of taste or loss of sense of smell
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Here's the good news: at the moment, this virus isn't hugely on the rise or anything like it's predecessor was. Experts are monitoring wastewater for it though and if you get sick with what you think might be COVID, obviously get tested and go to the doctor.

LOOK: Books set in Iowa

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Gallery Credit: Stacker

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Gallery Credit: Stacker

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