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A new COVID strain sweeping the UK could disproportionately affect children (Image: Getty)
A new COVID strain, which has been named after an insect, is set to become dominant in the UK and could disproportionately affect children, a leading microbiologist has warned. The BA.3.2 variant is part of the Omicron family and has been dubbed ‘Cicada’ because it disappeared for nearly four years, like cicadas, which have the ability to lie dormant.
A newly identified COVID strain, intriguingly named after an insect, is poised to become the leading variant in the UK and may impact children more than previous strains, according to a prominent microbiologist. This variant, BA.3.2, falls under the Omicron classification and has been nicknamed ‘Cicada’ due to its reemergence after nearly four years of dormancy, reminiscent of the cicada’s lifecycle.
With around 75 mutations in its spike protein—the part of the virus that facilitates entry into human cells—this strain shows an enhanced capability to evade existing immune defenses. Scientists warn that Cicada could spread more swiftly than its predecessors, with evidence suggesting a particular vulnerability among children lacking COVID immunity, potentially triggering a new outbreak. Professor Ravi Gupta of Cambridge University, who has provided counsel to the government throughout the pandemic, stated, “This is unlike the COVID-19 viruses we’ve managed over the past two years.”
The strain has been named after the cicada, which has the ability to lie dormant (Image: Getty)
“It has been found in the UK, has been increasing in prevalence, and I would expect it to become the dominant strain. BA.3.2 is undergoing testing right now,” Prof Gupta added. “We have been looking at it in terms of immune evasion and the immunity that we’ve all got.”
Prof Gupta was a key member of the research group that reported the first evidence of immune escape in COVID-19 during the pandemic. He was part of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).
“It has surfaced in the UK and is becoming increasingly prevalent. I anticipate it will soon dominate. BA.3.2 is currently under rigorous examination,” Prof. Gupta noted. “Our focus is on its ability to bypass immunity and the protective measures in place.”
Prof. Gupta played a pivotal role in the research team that first identified immune escape in COVID-19 during the pandemic. His expertise was harnessed as part of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).
The Cicada variant, which descends from the Omicron lineage that appeared in 2021, was initially detected in South Africa in 2024 before it seemingly vanished.
Prof. Gupta suggests the variant accumulated numerous mutations to sidestep immunity by persisting in a single host for over a year. This ‘patient zero’ likely had a compromised immune system, possibly due to conditions like HIV or the use of anti-cancer medications, preventing the clearance of the virus.
Prof Gupta said: “This new variant has been found in the UK. Some people have done analysis on this, suggesting it may be more prevalent among young children. Children get infections all the time, but this might be something to do with the fact that they have never been exposed to COVID vaccines.
“So this is something we’re looking at in the lab to try and work out why. The problem with this is that it is an infection that spreads fast. Eventually, it ends up in someone who is vulnerable.”
Symptoms seem to appear similar to other recent variants, and include a sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue, headache and fever. But this strain has also caused gastrointestinal issues such as nausea or diarrhoea in some people, according to the US-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Weekly detections of BA.3.2 increased to around 30% of COVID-19 sequences reported in several European countries between Nov 2025 and Jan 2026 (Image: Getty)
The CDC reported that between November 2025 and January 2026, weekly detections of BA.3.2 increased to around 30% of COVID-19 sequences reported in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. However, crucially, they have not yet detected an overall increase in COVID cases there compared to previous years.
Experts have said that while current vaccines may be less effective against Cicada, vaccination still offers significant protection against severe disease. Latest data suggests Long Covid still occurs in about three in 100 cases.
You may be offered a COVID-19 vaccine in spring if you are aged 75 or over, are aged six months to 74 years and have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or treatment, or live in a care home for older adults. COVID-19 boosters are also available privately from High Street pharmacies for those not eligible on the NHS. The jabs can cost between £75 and £100.
