Emergence of COVID-19 Variant XFG not linked to Higher Rates of Sore Throat or altered severity: Evidence from participatory surveillance in The Netherlands

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, it evolved into different lineages and sub-variants. New genetic variants of the virus can result in a different transmissibility, immune evasion, as well as different symptoms and severity of disease. When new variants appear, media report often anecdotal observations of unique or differentiating symptomatology of these new variants. Here, we investigate reported elevated levels of sore throat linked to the new variant XFG using an evidence-based method.