As India prepares for the third wave of the novel coronavirus, experts are warning of a ‘Super Variant’ of the SARS CoV-2, which might arise in 2022 and be known as COVID-22, as well as the possibility of uninfected people becoming super spreaders.
An immunologist in Zurich, Professor Sai Reddy said that the current strain mix could result in a new and more dangerous epidemic, as per a report by The Sun. Reddy pointed out that COVID-22 was “inevitable” as the coronavirus is very likely to combine to make a deadlier strain especially with Delta, Beta, and Gamma variants.
“COVID-19 could be worse than what we are seeing now,” he cautioned. As a result, more than one vaccination will be needed in the furtute as the fight against coronavirus continues. He warned that vaccination and booster shots will be needed ‘maybe for the rest of our lives.’
He cautioned that the world cannot solely rely on vaccination. “COVID-22 could get worse than what we are witnessing now… We have to be prepared for more than one vaccination in the next few years, which is constantly adapting to new variants,” he was quoted as saying by The Sun.
He insisted that the world has to be prepared as the COVID-22 variant has potential to be a big risk. “If such a variant appears, we have to recognize it as early as possible and the vaccine manufacturers have to adapt the vaccine quickly. The emergence of this new variant is a big risk,” Reddy claimed.
