The expert warned that a new version called “COVID-22” could be more deadly than the world’s dominant Delta. Immunologist Professor Dr. Cy Reddy said we “need to prepare” for this new option in 2022, which could pose a “high risk.”
The scientist from Zurich warned that it was “inevitable” that existing options such as Delta (India), Beta (South Africa) and Gamma (Brazil) could be combined to make the strain more powerful, according to Sun.
“COVID-22 may be worse than what we are currently witnessing. If this happens, we need to recognize it as soon as possible, and vaccine manufacturers need to adapt the vaccine quickly. The emergence of this new option is a big risk. We need to prepare for this,” Professor Reddy quoted BGNES as saying.
In an interview with the German newspaper Blick, Professor Reddy said that “Delta” – the most contagious option of all – that he called “COVID-21”. But he does not have “current mutations”, genetic traits that help him avoid the immune system. Current mutations, which are observed in some variants, such as beta, mean that vaccines become less effective and may need to be changed to protect the population.
He said: “This is the next phase of the pandemic, when beta or gamma will become more contagious or current mutations will develop in the delta. That will be a big problem next year.”