can these two highly transmissible strains combine and create a super variant? It’s possible, according to Moderna’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Paul Burton.
there have been some papers published…and certainly immunocompromised people - can harbour both viruses,” Dr Burton was quoted as saying
He said the high number of both delta and Omicron cases currently circulating in the United Kingdom has made this scenario more likely.
certainly possible that both the strains can swap genes and trigger a more dangerous variant. Researchers have warned that such “recombination events” are extremely rare but possible if conditions are right
Only three such recombination events have taken place so far. One such event was recorded by British health experts when the alpha variant merged with B.1.177, which first emerged in Spain, in late January.
Scientists in California said in February that they identified another recombination variant when the Kent strain merged with B.1.429.
However, such events have so far not led to any large outbreaks or a more dangerous version of the virus.
😬
Wtf?!?!?!?
It was only a matter of time until the variants diverged to the point where they effectively become separate viruses.
disagree
disagree
disagree
