New Corona variant LP.8.1: What does that mean for us in Austria?

New Corona variant LP.8.1: What does that mean for us in Austria?

Österreich - In the past few weeks, the new Corona variant LP.8.1, a descendant of Omikron, has become more important in Asia and Europe. Five years after the beginning of pandemic, the variant, which has been predominant in countries such as the USA, Great Britain and Europe since April 2025. According to Kosmo, the examination of the waste water in Austria has shown that LP.8.1 has been dominant since April 2025, whereby the first detection took place in July 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified LP.8.1 as a "variant under monitoring", whereby the global prevalence is increasing, but the public health risk is assessed to low. According to Who, it is assumed that recommended covid-19 vaccines are still effective against this variant, both against symptomatic as well as against serious illnesses.

immune deviation and vaccine adjustments

One of the great concerns about Lp.8.1 is their ability to avoid immune defense. In this context, Kosmo reports of a strong humoral immune flee that can affect the antibody response by vaccinations or past infections. The mutations in the spike protein of the variant favor this immune deviation and ensure that the virus is increased faster.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has already recommended that vaccines to adapt for the coming season to ensure better protection for risk groups such as older people and people with a weakened immune system. Initial studies indicate that the new mutations of LP.8.1 could affect the effectiveness of previous vaccines, which underlines the need for timely vaccine adjustments.

Current developments and symptoms

The Meduni Virologist Monika Redlberger-Fritz notes that there is currently no epidemic development in Austria, but only sporadic cases. Nevertheless, there is an increase in covid cases in countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Thailand, whereby the diseases are predominantly mild. The symptoms of the new variant do not differ significantly from other omikron sub-variants, which makes identification difficult.

For more information on Covid-19 variants and detailed data, the WHO offers on its website this dashboard, which was collected by Member States and promotes public access to data.