Since the emergence of SARS severe acute respiratory syndrome (severe acute respiratory syndrome)-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.